X-Men Origins: Wolverine
by Sybil Silverphoenix
Summary: Logan has killed the woman he loved... of course she went crazy becoming a being known as Phoenix... and now she is in his head. Jean's 'ghost' helps him recall and make sense of his jumbled memories to figure out the greatest puzzle of all... Who is The Wolverine?
1. Chapter 1

**Memories**

'_Tell me what do you see?' Her voice flits through his mind asking him to describe what he is seeing as the memories come flooding in a rush. He manages to hold onto one. It feels old, not the oldest… but close enough._

* * *

Logan looks around and notices his small body and tiny hands. His childhood? It feels as though it was so long ago. But before he can determine the era, he notices another boy in the room. He is blonde and slightly older looking. He is sharpening his fingernails to points with a small knife. Logan can feel the remnants of a burning fever in his body and his limbs ache, especially his hands and arms. He wonders if he'll die from the pain. He vaguely recalls hearing about how children could succumb to an illness very quickly, but nothing about death by pain.

"Is he going to die?" The blonde boy asks somewhat coldly of the tall man with dark brown hair as he enters the bedroom and approaches Logan lying on the bed.

"I don't think so. Jimmy's fever broke earlier, so the worst part is over, but we're not out of the woods yet." The man replies with an easy smile though his hazel eyes still contain worry.

"I still feel like I'm going to die, Father." Little Jimmy says through the pain.

"It'll pass. Victor was sick like this a couple years back, remember? And you stuck around bravely to keep him company until he got all better." Logan's father says as he kisses his son on the top of his head. Suddenly there is a loud knocking sound and then the three hear the sound of the front door banging open. Shouting can be heard.

"Howlett!" Comes a deep grumbling voice from downstairs. Victor becomes visibly panicked and even little Jimmy feels a deep sense of dread over come him.

"It's your father, Victor… and he sounds drunk." Logan's father says with an exasperated sigh before rising from his perch on the side of the bed. He then walks out of the room. "What do you want, Creed? It's late!" Comes his father's voice from the landing of the stairs.

"You stole her from me! You bastard! You stole her!" Comes the accusatory shouts of Victor's father.

"Now hold on, Creed. My wife chose me over you so let's leave the Past in the past." Logan's father says calmly to try and smooth things over.

"She had Victor from me… and Jimmy from you… but she'll always be mine, Howlett! Always!" Victor's father shouts angrily.

"You're drunk, Creed. You need to put the gun down and go home. Sleep it off and we'll talk in the morning." Logan's father says softly. The two boys look at one another with fear and surprise in their eyes and they both hurry to the stairs landing. They see Victor's father holding a lantern in one hand as he points a rifle at Logan's father. Logan's mother is standing near her husband as he holds his hands up to show that he is unarmed.

"Go home? No, we'll settle this now!" Creed shouts and fires the gun. The boom deafens Logan and then the next sound tears his heart out… his mother screams and pleads for help as she leans over her dying husband. Jimmy finds himself shaking like a leaf and a rage begins to fill him.

Logan screams out in rage and rushes down the stairs at his father's murderer. His tiny fists are balled up tight and ready to strike. He just wants to hurt this evil man who now stole his father from him… hurt him enough to end his life as well. As little Jimmy runs blades of bone slide out… three on each hand. He then lounges and buries those new claws deep into Creed's gut. The man is so stunned that he is speechless. Victor watches on with hard eyes at the scene playing out before him. Little Jimmy then pulls his fists back and punches over and over again, repeatedly stabbing the man who then moves to strike with his rifle.

"NO!" Logan's mother screams and grabs the gun. Creed goes down with little Jimmy stabbing him repeatedly and the barrel of the rifle slips from his mother's hands to point directly at her. The trigger is pulled and the gun's second barrel fires. The shot hits the woman in the stomach and she falls backwards.

"Jimmy, we have to leave." Victor says as he grabs Jimmy by the shoulder and pulls him away. The tears and pain is evident on the little boy's face… though a cold determination paints Victor's. "Now! Come on!" The blonde boy adds and yanks Jimmy away. They run… they run until their legs burn then keep running. Neither one of them looks back. Neither one of them wants to go back… almost as though they can outrun the horror of what just transpired.

"I can't… I can't go any further, Victor. I can't!" Jimmy says as he stops and collapses to his knees. His breathing heavy, his heart pounding in his ears as the blood rushes through his body. He looks at his hands. They hurt but it's more of a dull ache now than the sudden sharp piercing pain of earlier. He had ignored it in the heat of fury and then he…

"We can't stop, Jimmy. We can never stop." Victor then says snapping Jimmy from his thoughts. Sad hazel eyes look up into determined blue. "Don't feel bad about killing my paw. He was a bad man, Jimmy… very bad and he deserved what he got. He stole your paw from you… and… our maw. That means we're brothers, Jimmy. Got that? And nothing will ever tear us apart because we're brothers, we're family."

* * *

"_That was Sabertooth." Her voice flits through his mind again and Logan opens his eyes to see Jean Grey lying beside him on a bed covered in white sheets in a room of white. "He's your brother."_

"_I guess my animalistic side runs in the family." Logan quips. He smirks but there is sorrow in his eyes. Jean strokes his cheek lovingly._

"_You didn't know he was your brother when we stopped Magneto at Ellis Island. So don't beat yourself up, Logan." She says to comfort him then her lips ghost over his. The kiss is soft and sweet and just like how he remembers._

"_Jean, I can't help it. I've hurt too many people… and I promise you that I'll never hurt anyone else ever again as long as I can help it." Logan vows._

"_Don't say what you don't mean." Jean says with a smirk then ghosts her hand over his eyes. "Let's continue and see what else we will learn in this jumble of memories." Her voice is soft and soothing. It hypnotizes him back into a lull and the memories come again._

* * *

Logan watches as scenes of war play out in his mind. He flinches at all the killing he has done. So many lives he has taken… so much death found at the end of his claws. The pain of old injuries flashes hot through his mind as he sees himself and Victor fighting side by side over the decades.

They fought on the Union's side during the Civil War. They served as Pinkerton Men after that war in the Wild West which didn't last more than a decade since Victor kept getting into trouble. They drifted never staying more than ten years anywhere since their healing factor extended their lifespans considerably. They did this to avoid unwanted questions and suspicion in general. Then came the Great War and they found themselves in the trenches in Europe. It was hell on Earth and Logan thought that nothing could top that in its horror… but then came Adolf Hitler and World War II.

* * *

"_That's an interesting memory." Jean comments as she sees the memories of Logan in Europe during that 'War to end All Wars'._

* * *

There is the multiple ringing clang of bullets hitting a shield as the heroic man dressed in blue, white, and red leads troops bravely across the sands of the beach of Normandy to storm the Nazi line. Logan fights side by side with Captain America as they storm the fox holes and machine gun shacks. Victor is off doing his own thing and gets a machine gun clip being unloaded into his gut before he then slaughters the Nazi soldier when the bullets run out.

"You're quite the fighter, Howlett." Captain America says as he approaches Logan who quickly tugs on a white t-shirt after toweling himself off. The Captain gives the equally tall, dark haired man's body a curious glance.

"You're not so bad at it yourself, Captain. Though I can see how that shield of yours does come in quite handy." Logan replies.

"You took several shots today yet you've healed up nicely." The Captain says his voice sharp with equal parts suspicion and curiosity. "Did they try to replicate the Super Soldier program?"

"I don't know anything about any program… I'm just a fast healer, Cap." Logan retorts giving a shrug. A disappointed look crosses Rogers face then.

"I could use a man of your talents, Howlett. How about I put the word in and you join up with me as one of the Howling Commandos?" Captain Rogers then asks as his face softens and his voice becomes friendly once more. Logan looks the Captain square in the eye.

"Sorry, Cap… but me and my brother vowed that we would never split up. He's the only family I've got and I'm the only family he's got." Logan then replies and his voice is laced with sorrow. "If things were different? Then yeah, I'd join ya in a heartbeat."

"Creed is your brother?" Steve asks curiously.

"Yes, we have the same mother but different fathers." Logan replies and tenses. He doesn't want to think too long on the topic of his parents.

"I understand…" Rogers says with a sigh then gives Logan a serious look from his blue eyes. "But you need to keep an eye on Creed. He's too ruthless and full of bloodlust, the likes of which I've never seen before in a man… save one. Though your brother is more… chaotic." The Captain cautions and a silence falls between them. Rogers then breaks it. "Perhaps one day our paths will cross again." Steve Rogers then says as he offers his hand out to Logan.

"I look forward to it, Cap." Logan says with a smile as they shake hands firmly. Logan's hazel eyes narrow slightly as his left eyebrow arcs up in surprise at the strength in Steve's grasp. The Captain's blue eyes study him closely but there is respect within them when they release hands.

"Until we meet again, Good luck, Howlett." Steve says with an easy smile which is genuinely friendly and then he walks off. They go their separate ways…

* * *

"_He was one of the most idealistic and good-hearted person I have ever met. Until I met Xavier that is. Sadly, I never seen him again after that. In 1944, he went down in a plane crash and died." Logan then says with a sad sigh. A distant look fills Jean's green eyes._

"_He's still alive." She then says as she stares off blankly. Logan is confused._

"_What? How?" He asks puzzled by this revelation. Jean then returns her gaze to Logan and she smiles warmly at him._

"_He was found around the same time that you killed me. He was trapped in a Greenland ice sheet. He's still alive and looks just how you remember him. Do you want to go and meet him? I can lead you to him." Jean then says and watches Logan expectantly for his answer._

"_No. That's a part of my old life. Besides, I don't want to hurt anyone ever again." Logan replies._

"_Well, if you ever change your mind… he is currently living in New York City. In Brooklyn to be exact." Jean then says. Logan doesn't say anything but he thinks about how he will never change his mind to go visit Steve Rogers a.k.a. Captain America._

"_Never think never." She then replies to his thoughts and Logan gives her a slightly annoyed glare, but she just smiles sweetly at him. Logan can't deny its power over him and he starts to smile._

"_Come here you." He growls playfully and takes Jean into his arms. They kiss and as they do… more memories flit through Logan's consciousness. When He opens his eyes again, he sees a beautiful woman of Native American decent. Her long black hair flows over her shoulders to hide her naked chest while her bright blue eyes study him. She looks so familiar, yet Logan cannot even recall her name. He blinks and sees Jean again straddling him wearing her white silky slip._

"_Who was she?" Jean asks curiously._

"_I don't know." Logan replies puzzled by what he has just seen._

"_Let's find out shall we?" Jean then says with a grin and kisses Logan._

* * *

He sees himself in Vietnam. It's the late sixties. He and Victor have been here since it started and Logan is already too tired of this war to continue. Victor, on the other hand, is having the time of his life. Just yesterday they raided a village where suspected enemy soldiers were using as a way station to get supplies down the front lines… but it turned out to be a false lead yet the lieutenant insisted they stay.

Logan then hears screaming and shouts and so he springs up ready for a fight. He hurries to the center of camp to find Victor snarling wildly and the other soldiers shouting at him with guns raised.

"Stand down, Soldier! Stand down!" One of them yells but Victor only growls and rushes him. Claws slash and the soldier is ripped open.

"Victor!" Logan yells as he pulls his taller, bulkier brother back. The other soldiers then open fire. As the bullets hit, Logan his rage builds within. He shouts and his thin bone claws slide out. That causes some of the firing to stop, but they are rushed again and soon both brothers go down. Victor fought to keep them off while Logan complied. They were quickly bound with their arms behind their backs and taken to south to Saigon within an hour.


	2. Chapter 2

**Recruited**

They sat in the damp stinking dirt floor cell for three days then they were hauled out, tied to a post, and waited for the firing squad to do their duty. Logan is pissed… fed up and angry that Victor had tried to rape a village girl then got mad when some other soldiers stopped him.

"See you in a few minutes, Jimmy." Victor says as he looks over at Logan. A wide smile on his face which flashes his fangs. This was all a big joke to him. Of course they were going to survive this firing squad. Hell! They'd been shot at more times than they could ever hope to count.

BANG!

The shots ring out and there is searing pain then a moment of darkness.

"Fuck me." Logan says as his breath comes rushing back and his eyes snap open. He can hear Victor laughing beside him.

"Is that the best you've got?" Victor taunts.

BANG!

The shots ring out again. Pain and darkness again… then the rush of breath from reawakening… and Victor is still laughing… yet again.

"Dammit, Victor just shut the hell up!" Logan says snapping angrily.

* * *

The two brothers are taken away and chained up to a cement wall in the jail on base. There they wait for what feels like a week before _he_ came. The door is opened and the light blinds Logan as the authoritative young man enters dressed in his finest military garb with medals gleaming.

"Greetings, gentleman. I'm Major William Stryker… I am to understand that you killed your senior officer out in the field." Stryker says looking at Victor.

"Let's just say, I have a problem with authority." Victor says with a smirk.

"Can it, Victor." Logan says to his older brother then returns his attention to the Major standing in the door.

"The Warden says your sentence was carried out at ten hundred hours. How did that go for the both of you?" Major Stryker then asks as his eyes dart between the two men.

"It tickled." Logan replies sarcastically.

"Fascinating. I have an interesting proposition for the both of you. Do you want to get out of this cell before they figure out some devious method that will actually kill you?" Major Stryker says with a soft disarming smile.

"What's the catch?" Logan asks as he gives this fancy military man a weary eye.

"You see, I'm putting together a special team with special privileges. You have remarkable skills. Why not use them to serve your country as you were meant to?" Major Stryker says still smiling. Victor simply watches and listens as he pets a rat that is sitting on his lap.

"For how long?" Logan then asks and watches Major Stryker closely.

"We are going to be making the world a better place." Major Stryker says spouting some bullshit that Victor huffs at.

"For how long?" Logan asks again and his voice is sharper and more aggressive.

"For at least ten years… then you are free to continue or leave." Major Stryker then says as the smile leaves his face and his mouth sets into a hard line.

"Ten years?" Logan then asks to clarify.

"Yes." Major Stryker says simply as he eyes Logan.

"Alright, you've got yourself a deal." Logan then says seriously. "Now how's about you get us out of these chains." Logan then says and shakes his wrists to emphasize his request.

* * *

Three years pass, and the two brothers have run several missions… most have been surgical strikes against various threats to America and her interests. Now they are on their way to Africa… Lagos, Nigeria to be exact. Some local warlord turned diamond tycoon thinks he can threaten the good ol' U.S. of A. for some dumbass reason that Logan half paid attention to. So here they are on a plane with a few other guys of 'unique talents' like themselves.

Some of them, Logan and Victor have run missions with… like the silent Asian man seated towards the cockpit checking his many hand guns is known as Agent Zero. He's Stryker's right hand man and his talent is that he has uncanny accuracy. The young, dirty blonde man sitting across from Zero is a Brit named Bradley and he has a knack for controlling electricity, manipulating machines, and picking up radio communications like telepathy… all very useful talents, seeing as how he is flying the plane and communicates with base. The black man sporting a cowboy hat and the 'cool cat' attitude is John Wraith… a teleporter who was recruited a year ago. Things have actually gone smoother with him around.

Then there are the two new recruits. The first joined up before their last mission. His name is Fred Dukes and he has super human strength as well as being nigh invulnerable since bullets don't faze him, neither does a shot to the gut from a cannon or tank for that matter. Fred is something of a special case since he's fairly simple minded though he does follow orders without question.

Fred sits to Logan's right and he offers his pouch of chewing tobacco to Logan who just waves it away muttering a 'no thanks'. The second new recruit joined up just two days ago and he sits right across from Logan and Victor, sharpening one of his pair of katana blades on his lap. Logan started shaking like a leaf as soon as they got into the air and now he looks at the new guy with his sword out like he's crazy. He can't focus beyond the constant sliding scrape of the honing stone going down the sword's edge.

"Go to your happy place." John Wraith says in his cool smooth voice. His Texas accent comes out as he talks to Logan.

"Happy place?" Logan asks skeptical then shrugs.

"Afraid of dying?" Agent Zero says mockingly. Logan levels a cold glare his way.

"No. I just don't wanna be impaled by the new guy's sword." Logan says gruffly.

"Wanna know why I love these swords so much?" The new recruit then asks as he looks at Victor and Logan seated across from him with cheerful brown eyes. The plane then shakes from turbulence and Logan panics for a moment before things settle out.

"No, Wade… I don't want to know." Victor answers in annoyance.

"It's because they are so memorable." Wade says with an enthused smile to the menacing blonde man. "Whip a pair of these bad boys out at your ex-girlfriend's wedding, like I did, and cut off the head of the bastard she cheated on you with… and people are going to remember you. Now I know they're not like a gun, or bone claws, or the unkempt nails of a bag lady… but they are friggin' awesome." Wade then pauses and Victor flexes his fingers as they eye each other down. Wade's hand runs slowly over the handle of his sword ready to grab it at a moment's notice. Logan knows that look his brother is displaying… if given half a chance, Victor would grab this guy by his brown spiky haired head and smash it down hard until there was nothing but a mushy mangled mess left.

"Speaking of your nails… Your manicure bill must be a bitch." Wade then says breaking the tense moment. "Seriously though… you should paint those. I suggest pink… it's distracting as well as eye catching." Victor snarls and his eyes narrow as they are still locked upon this mouthy new recruit. Wade's brown eyes are full of mirth as he smiles merrily at the reaction he is getting from the usually quiet tall blonde. The plane shakes again and Logan looks like he's about to hurl.

"Scared?" Wade then asks Logan curiously though his tone is slightly mocking.

"No. It's just that if Man was meant to fly… then he would've been born with wings." Logan says with a quick upward glance at the handsome new recruit.

"No offense, I'm just concerned… Like I am about Fred's new tattoo. Fred?" Wade then says and looks at the other bulky muscular, blonde on the team. Logan looks to his right and notices the tattoo of a shapely dark-haired woman on his upper left arm.

"Jesus, Fred… you just met that girl the other night." Logan says as he tries to focus on something else besides the turbulence.

"I'm in love." Fred says matter-of-factly in his Midwestern drawl.

"Really?" Logan asks with a raised eyebrow.

"She's a gymnast." Fred replies and shrugs like that explains everything.

"Oh, boy." Logan says and puts his head in his hands.

"See? Concerned." Wade then says.

"Shut it, Wade." Major Stryker says as he walks through the seating area of the plane from the back. "We're here. Bradley… take us down."

"Yes, sir." Bradley answers and then focuses and the plane turns to go into a landing pattern.

* * *

Forty minutes later, they are walking through the slums of Lagos and the group of rag-tag members stops to take notice of the large twenty story building before them that looks like a big cement block with a high fence of razor wire and electrified fencing all the way around.

"Zero, time to knock on the door." Major Stryker says and the Asian man in grey combat-camo clothing and bullet-proof vest walks forward into the beam of the two flood lights that are on the gate houses. There is some shouting in a language that Logan doesn't know nor understand, but he gets the jest of it meaning 'Stop! Or we'll shoot!' or something like that. Zero calmly continues to stroll up with his hands behind his head as four men in rags with AK-47's start running towards him. Zero then grabs the pair of pistols hidden in holsters on his upper back.

He fires twice from both guns and the four men drop dead with holes right between their eyes. Zero then rushes forward and fires a few more shots taking out guards in the towers at the gate and one mercenary who starts firing a 50 cal from the back of a heavy military style truck which as soon as he is hit, fires in a downward line at his fellow mercs standing behind a wall. Victor sees his opportunity and rushes ahead on all fours. He leaps into the air slashes out the throat of a guard who gets in his way then scales the tall cement building quickly.

"Fred." Stryker says and Fred Dukes looks at the busy open dirt yard behind the fence and sees a tank drive up to reposition.

"The tank?" Fred asks more to confirm than question. The muscular blonde man hurries up to the barrel of the tank's cannon and he rams his fist in just as it fires. His bullet-proof skin causes the round to rebound and explode the tank. What's left of the guards scatter and the group minus Victor make their way inside. Wraith and Logan quickly dispatch any mercs in the lobby as Bradley opens the elevator doors.

Soon the six men are standing inside and start going up to the top floor. The music is some god-awful chiming tone and Logan sighs wishing for the elevator to hurry up… but suddenly it stops and the lights go out as the power is cut to the ascending box.

"Great… trapped inside an elevator with five grown men all on a high protein diets… Dreams really do come true." Wade comments. Logan's had about all he can take of this smart ass.

"Jesus Christ! Do you ever shut up?" Logan asks as his anger flares.

"Not while I'm awake." Wade answers calmly with a smirk.

"Logan. Wade. Stand down." Stryker says reigning in Logan and silencing Wade.

"Sorry, Major. It's just that the light… or lack there of… brings out the seriousness in your eyes. I can't help but stand in awe of it." Wade then says in an apologetic tone.

"I'm mean it, Wade. Silence." Stryker says then turns his attention to the quiet blonde. "Bradley if you would please."

"Yes, sir." Bradley replies and focuses then the lights come back up and the elevator starts moving again.

"Alright, Wade. You're up now." Stryker says as everyone moves to the side. Wade unsheathes his swords and rolls his head and shoulders as he pumps himself up for what is to come.

"Let's do this." Wade then says and the door dings open… and suddenly several men with machine guns open fire. Wade twirls his blades around so fast, they appear as blurs and he catches every bullet with the edge of his swords. He even redirects those incoming bullets back at or towards the other gunmen in the room. He spins in time to deflect a bullet from a gunman next to the elevator which strikes another just to Wade's left. Logan comes out of the elevator and stabs that lone gunman with his bone claws while Wade turns and spins in the air to land with both of his blades plunged into the chests of two final gunmen. The sword-wielder looks up directly before himself to stare eye-to-eye with the diamond tycoon who slowly reaches under his desk to grab a sawed off shot gun.

"I wouldn't do that, Brother." Wraith says as he suddenly appears with gun in hand standing next to the seated black man who looks very surprised indeed.

"Everyone's dead who needs to be!" Wade says as he withdraws his blades and wipes them clean of blood before sheathing them upon his back. Major Stryker and the others in the elevator come out then.

"Excellent work. You'd be the perfect soldier if it wasn't for that mouth of yours, Wade." The Major says as he strolls up to Wraith and the seated warlord.

"Take the diamonds. Take them all! Just don't kill me, please." The warlord begs as he raises his hands over his head.

"We're not here for the diamonds." Major Stryker says as he strolls up to the desk with a smile on his face. The warlord looks very confused at that. Stryker then grabs a hunk of metal off the desk which is being used as a paperweight. "I'm after this… or rather where did you get it from?" Stryker then asks.

"It was a gift." The warlord says as he blinks back his puzzlement and calculating look enters his dark eyes.

"From?" Stryker then asks and waits expectantly for the answer, but the warlord is silent. "Fine then… Victor!" Stryker says and Victor busts in the window and comes in. He grabs the warlord by the back of his scrawny neck and shoves his head down hard upon the dark wooden desk. The dark-skinned man whimpers in pain.

"Let's try this again… from?" Stryker then asks once more and Victor lets the tips of his claws bite into the warlord's skin. Small drops of blood begin to appear as the man moans in pain.

"A small village… inland… three days drive." The warlord says panicking.

"Thank you… you've been most cooperative. Victor." Major Stryker then says and turns to leave with the others following close behind. Logan watches his brother smile wickedly as he digs his claws in and pulls the warlord up then slashes the man's throat with the claws of his free hand. Victor laughs as the man slowly dies with his life's blood pooling around his face on the desk. Logan recalls what Captain America had told him years ago… Victor was ruthless, savage, and bloodthirsty. Logan knew it was only going to get worse.

* * *

The team had taken some of the diamonds and undamaged trucks from the warlord's compound. They traveled for three days inland, deep into the jungle, where they came across a small village. Major Stryker had ordered the villagers rounded up in the large open field at the center of the village. The team stood around the perimeter save for Major Stryker, Wade, and Victor.

"Ask him where this came from." Stryker commands Wade and the tall man in dark red with twin swords strapped to his back speaks French to the village elder kneeling between him, Stryker, and Victor. The man replies and shakes his head. Logan can see the obvious fear playing across the elder's face.

"He says it came from the sky." Wade answers.

"Tell him to take us to it." Major Stryker then commands. Wade then speaks the Major's request and the old man answers shaking his head wildly back and forth.

"He says he can't. It's sacred to them." Wade then replies to the Major.

"Tell him if he doesn't take us now… then we are going to kill everyone in this village before his eyes." Stryker says with such coldness that Logan finds himself having second thoughts about being here. Killing soldiers and mercenaries is one thing… but innocent people who are unarmed… even children! Hell no! Logan tenses at how this may go. He finds himself silently wishing the old man takes them as Wade relays the threat.

"Sir, I'm getting a signal from Base. Do you want me to respond?" Bradley then says as Wade continues talking to the old man.

"No." Major Stryker says to Bradley. Suddenly, the old man shakes his head and starts yelling.

"He's refusing." Wade says not wanting to translate the rest.

"Victor." Major Stryker says and gives a hard look to the tall blonde man next to him. Victor smiles, flashing fang, and grabs the old man by the throat.

"Wait!" Logan shouts and Victor stops as the old man quiets in his clawed hands. "Stryker, we don't have to do this! We could search the jungle ourselves or-" Logan starts grasping at any idea to give the Major besides killing.

"Or what, Logan?" Stryker then says and Logan can't think of anything immediately, so Stryker gives his next command, "Kill them all!" Victor grins as he crushes the old man's throat. Wade draws his swords and attacks those closest to him, and Zero starts firing into the now fleeing crowd.

"NO!" Logan shouts and rushes Zero, tackling him down to the ground. Bradley and Wraith standby and watch the chaos ensue around them, neither fires their gun. Bradley looks more upset about this than Wraith who just frowns.

"We didn't have to do this!" Logan shouts angrily as he walks stiffly over to Major Stryker. "These are innocent people for Christ's sake!"

"They are withholding something that will help us keep America safe." Major Stryker starts. Logan throws up his hand to the Major.

"Enough bullshit!" Logan says roughly.

"Jimmy. This is our job… don't sweat the messy stuff." Victor says with an easy smile to calm his younger brother.

"Come on, Vic. We're leaving." Logan says to Victor then turns a hard glare at Stryker.

"I'm not going, Jimmy. I like this gig." Victor says as he stands his ground.

"Yeah, well I'm not staying', Bub." Logan then retorts.

"Are you really going to split from me, from your brother, over some dead natives?" Victor then questions.

"We're better than this, Victor." Logan replies and gives his older half-brother a hard look.

"Maybe you are, Jimmy… but this is what I do, what I love to do." Victor then says coolly.

"Fine." Logan says harshly and turns on his heel. He walks away.

"Don't walk away from me, Jimmy!" Victor shouts heatedly after Logan as he steps into the jungle leaving Major Stryker, the team, and even his brother behind. He doesn't need this moral quagmire. It's time to find peace for once in his life.


	3. Chapter 3

**Second Opinion**

Jean finds those memories interesting. She then wonders what it was that Stryker had been searching for in Africa. She'll find out. Stryker is dead… drowned after the dam burst at Alkali Lake… that leaves searching the memories of Victor Creed. She knows the savage Mutant is still alive. She focuses her telepathy and can feel the surge of power that swirls like fire around her. It fills her consciousness and she can feel her mind, her ghost, move across the vast distance from Logan in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest to the hustle and bustle of Washington D.C.

She can hear Victor's frustrated mind as he sits in his sealed quarters in the Triskelion, the main headquarters for S.H.I.E.L.D. located in the Nation's Capital. He shouts his mental protest as he looks at the metal device around his throat. It's a high tech collar that periodically injects a drug that suppresses Victor's, or any Mutant's, abilities… rendering them normal and defenseless. Jean knows Erik Lehnsherr would have a meltdown if he ever found out about such a device.

But Jean isn't concerned about any of that at the moment. She wants a deeper understanding of what happened so she uses her power to put Victor to sleep. He yawns and blinks his blue eyes a few times before making his way to his bed. The large blonde man then crashes upon it and Jean scans his mind for the desired memories. She stimulates certain memories and a slew of various others flash before her mental eyes. She catches one that strikes her interest and probes it to see it in full detail. It is from a point in time nearly six years after Logan had left the team that Stryker had put together.

Jean watches as Scott Summers is hunted down at his High School and captured. She understands that at some point, Stryker started capturing Mutants and ran experiments on them. She moves the memory away and notices that it sparks another one to surface. So she watches…

* * *

Victor is dressed all in black with a long black trench coat on as he walks briskly down the well-lit concrete hall. He approaches a set of double doors and is forced to stop abruptly or get hit with one as it opens suddenly and another man dressed in a skin tight, deep red, sleeveless skirt with twin swords strapped to his back walks out. He is very good-looking and stops to regard his fellow teammate for a moment.

"Oh, sorry about that Snaggletooth. Didn't see ya there." Wade says quickly in his usual sarcastic tone before hurrying away and not giving the taller blonde man in black a second glance. Victor's otherwise ruggedly handsome features then twist into a scowling frown as a low growl escapes his throat. He watches Wade walk away for a second before entering through the open door. Inside is a room about the average size of a high school classroom complete with a few rows of desks and chairs and a large white projection screen at the front, which is pulled down and the white light is the only illumination in the room at the moment.

"Ah, Victor!" Comes the voice of Stryker who is dressed in the military regalia of a Colonel. His dark hair is combed back nice and neat just like his uniform is nice and neat. "I have an especially good hunt for you, my friend." Colonel Stryker says in his smooth voice. Victor's mood lightens as he raises his left eyebrow slightly in interest.

"What new prey do you have for me now, Stryker?" Victor replies evenly in his deep and slightly gruff voice. Colonel Stryker smiles warmly.

"This one is a bit trickier than most of the others I've had you hunt." Stryker starts as he turns to the projection unit in the middle of the room. He picks up a cord with a handle on one end and presses a button. Immediately, a slide clicks into place of a lovely young woman with short black hair. She is in the midst of kicking a soldier in the crotch. Victor's raised eyebrow goes higher and a smile starts to cross his face.

"This woman is special like you and the others but we don't really know the extent of her… 'uniqueness'. We only have a name… Vanessa Pyre… and this." Stryker says as he hands Victor a sealed plastic bag that contains some dark purple fabric. "That was pulled off of her during the last encounter the containment team had with her. I figured…"

"You figured I could use it to sniff her out." Victor says as he levels a piercing blue gaze the Colonel's way. If Stryker is bothered by Victor, he doesn't show it. He just smiles knowingly as he watches Victor use one of his long talon-like claws to open the bag and let the fabric spill out into his waiting hand. It is a purple scarf of a shimmering see through material and Victor slowly brings it up to his nose. He takes a long deep inhale.

His extra sensitive sense of smell picks up the sweet scent of jasmine perfume, cheap motel shampoo, and then he find it… that subtle scent that is unique to every human being. Hers has a delightful sweetness to it that is subtle and soft. It makes Victor wonder for a moment how soft her skin is, then he smells her sweat and he wonders how hard of a fight will she put up.

"We tracked her all the way to western Montana. She appears to be headed west but has slowed recently. We don't know why but we do know that if we intend to catch her then now is the time. I know you won't fool around on this mission, Victor, but I and two of the containment teams will be accompanying you on this hunt… for this will be our seventh attempt to capture this elusive woman." Stryker says confidently. Victor is impressed now. Six times they had tried and six times they had failed. Victor takes another deep inhale from the scarf and smiles. This will be the seventh and final attempt and he will be the one to catch this Vanessa Pyre.

* * *

Five hours later… the black army helicopters are flying low through the rolling foothills of western Montana in the deepening dark of the evening hours. They are running in stealth mode so the blades of the helicopters make almost no noise as they cut through the air. Victor sits strapped into his seat with nothing on his mind and the scarf up to his nose. His eyes are closed as he concentrates on Vanessa's scent. He wants to find her quickly and see just what she can do.

"Alright we are about one click east of the target's last known location." Colonel Stryker says to Victor from his seat across from the savage blonde man. Victor slowly opens his blue eyes and looks at Stryker. "Our tracking agent reported her going into a bar in the small town to our west. We are going to drop you off here and wait for the signal you will give us as soon as you spot her. Do you got that, Victor? You radio us as soon as you spot her, then you are free to hunt."

"Don't worry… I'll call." Victor says smoothly as he unbuckles the straps that secure him. He stands and opens the sliding door on the side of the chopper.

"We're getting ready to land, Victor. Just be patient." Stryker says to the brooding blonde man who looks ready to jump. Victor ignores the Colonel as he sniffs the scarf one last time before stuffing it into his coat pocket. He then jumps from the helicopter. The wind whips past and in less than a second Victor falls through the trees breaking branches and he even impacts hard against a rather thick low one, which he bounces off of and hits the ground hard. A few painful moments later the cuts, bruises, and broken ribs heal quickly and Victor stands up with a groan popping a dislocated shoulder back into place before he starts to walk off.

* * *

About an hour later Victor finds himself in the small town. He sniffs at the cool mountain air that is blowing gently from the mountains. Several scents fill his sensitive nose. Exhaust from vehicles, smells of the local restaurants, and spilt beer. Suddenly there comes a loud commotion from the local bar and a man who obviously has had too much to drink is thrown out by a large burly man. Victor makes his way over to the bar, giving the fallen drunk one glance as he tries to stand only to fall flat once more. Victor then pushes the door open and enters.

The bar is dimly lit and the music… country… is loud. It must've been karaoke night for several people are crowded around the brightly lit stage area and the man singing there, poorly, is reading the lyrics from a television set to the right of the stage. As Victor walks through the threshold and lets the door close behind him, the large burly bouncer gives him a stern look but doesn't hassle him. Victor takes a deep inhale as he sniffs the room. Tobacco and booze of various kinds fill his nose, then comes the subtler smells of people and… Jasmine perfume. Victor's interest is peeked and he becomes exceedingly more alert as his piercing blue eyes survey the crowded bar room. There are a few lovely women in here but none of them have 'her' smell. He continues to follow the scent and finds that it leads to another room where pool tables are set up and a few men and women are playing. It is quieter in here and better lit too. His blue eyes immediately fall on a hooded figure who sits on the far side of the game room all alone and seemingly quite comfortable. Victor follows his nose as he approaches the table slowly.

"It's rude to stare." Comes the soft smooth voice of the hooded woman. Victor stops and is only ten feet away from her lonely table but he is still closer to the pool tables. He acts innocent by looking around before he replies.

"Were you talking to me?" He asks as he slowly closes the distance. The woman lifts her hands and pulls back her hood slowly to reveal her jet black hair which is short in the back and long in the front. She looks up at the tall intense looking man in black with beautiful inquisitive golden eyes that shine in the florescent light. Her long bangs seem to act as a curtain so she runs her right hand through her dark hair and lets her lengthy bangs fall into a more manageable place that is out of her eyes.

"Sit." She says simply in her lovely voice to Victor as their eyes lock. He feels compelled to do as she says… so he takes an empty seat across the table from her. He finds her eyes striking and can't help himself but stare into them. "Let me see your hands." She says almost in a whisper which any other person would have missed but Victor hears her clearly with his enhanced sense of hearing and he does as she asks. He lifts his large clawed hands up and onto the table to let them rest palm up on top of her waiting smaller hands. Her touch is soft and delicate. She breaks the gaze that their eyes had been locked in to look down at his bigger hands. Victor finds himself wondering about this woman who sits across from him. He figures out just then that one of her abilities involves her eyes. They are enchanting and Victor makes a mental note of that.

"How interesting. Your Life Line is very long and deep." She says smoothly as she traces one delicate finger over a line on Victor's left palm. It tickles. "And this line here implies that you are a strong, if not forceful lover." She then adds with a hint of a smile in her voice as she traces another line on both of his palms with her thumbs. Victor chuckles at that and sits back a bit.

"You could say that." He replies and lets her take whatever meaning she will out of it. Her golden eyes then find his blue ones once more. There is no enchantment to them now. Victor is ready for that.

"You remind me of a character in a story." The woman then starts. Victor raises an eyebrow at that.

"Oh really… which one?" He then replies curious to see where she is leading this conversation. He thinks of contacting Colonel Stryker and the teams, but at a later time maybe after he has had some fun first. Victor is finding this easy, almost too easy, but it is curiously exciting at the same time.

"What do you know of fairytales?" The woman then asks.

"Stories for kids and nothing more." Victor replies.

"That is an over-simplification. In fact they are based off of myths which are far older and most definitely not for children." She then says and leans in a little. Victor notices that the black hooded outfit she is wearing is low cut and that she has ample cleavage. He smiles wider then. "You see, the character you remind me of is the Beast Man from an ancient Sumerian myth in the Epic of Gilgamesh who was violent and wrathful until his animalistic savagery was quelled by the sensual touch of a lovely priestess and then he knew peace." Victor is taken by surprise at that. Her tone then changes suddenly.

"I know you have done very savage things, Victor." That really catches his attention then for he didn't reveal his name. "But even you can learn to change, to be less of the animal and more of a man." Victor starts to grab at her wrists but Vanessa puts her hands up quicker and suddenly Victor feels his whole body including the chair he is in go flying backwards across the room to impact roughly with a small bar along the far wall. While the people are distracted by Victor, Vanessa quickly ascends upward and her flight path takes her to one of the large windows which she quickly opens using her telekinetic power and slips her curvy athletic frame through easily enough.

Victor growls in rage and gives a roar as he pushes pieces of the chair, counter, and broken bottles off of him. He then rushes over to the empty table and sniffs her perfume trailing upwards. He doesn't care as the people who were playing pool move away in fear as he leaps higher than any normal human can and claws his way up to the window which he smashes open and squeezes through. Her perfume flutters in the cool evening air around the back of the building and toward an old brick warehouse.

Victor jumps from the roof and hits the ground in a roll. He comes up on his feet and hurries over to the old building. He looks up and sees where she had broken a window out. He hurries to the closest door and kicks it in.

"She's in an old warehouse behind the bar." Victor says calmly into his radio comlink. He then enters the large brick building. He sniffs her out fairly quickly and finds her on the other side in the office area in a large storage room. Her back is to him. He gives a low growl and rushes her on all fours. Vanessa dodges simply by flying up. He gives a loud growl as he misses and quickly claws his way up the brick wall then he leaps off and almost reaches her before she lifts her hand and stops him in midair. Victor growls in frustration as his body is frozen and held in place.

"What the hell did you do to me?!" He demands. Vanessa then slams him down to the ground where he is now sprawled out on his back. She then floats down and lands next to him. She straddles his waist and pulls open his coat. She then rips open his shirt to expose his broad muscular and hairy chest. She runs her delicate hands over his exposed skin in a very sensual manner. Victor is thoroughly confused. First a hint of romance, then fighting, and now it seems like she is going to 'force' herself on him.

"If you wanted 'that' all you had to do was just say so, Honey." Victor then says with a wide grin. Vanessa's golden eyes meets his gaze once more as she smiles in a sly manner. She then points two fingers at the top of his chest and makes a quick motion downwards almost to his groin. The pain is sudden and sharp. Victor gives a small cry at its immediacy. He gives her a hard look but she is all eyes for the now quickly closing wound upon his chest.

"Simply… fascinating." She whispers as she watches in awe. After it has completely healed, she runs her fingers over his chest once more. "I must have your powers. I require them." She says cryptically and Victor gives her a questioning look then. She opens her mouth and he watches in awe as her upper canine teeth grow longer and sharper. "Look at me… and know no pain." Her golden gaze then meets his once more and he finds himself falling into their sparkling depths quicker than before. He then feels her soft, smooth naked skin rub against his body. He hears soft moans and feels gentle kisses on his neck, then the plunge of penetration and the pleasures of the flesh.

Vanessa gently tilts Victor's head to expose the left side of his neck as soon as he goes into the trance. She then bites down on the exposed flesh and feels the warm hot liquid spill into her mouth. She tastes the metallic coppery taste of his blood and sucks hard. He convulses under her and she has to hold his head with her left arm so as not to break her hold on his neck. She sucks hard and long drawing out much of his life-giving blood then the images flood her mind, a rush of a lifetime of memories longer than any average human lifespan. She can't make sense of them all but she sees a great deal of fighting and killing. Vanessa stops suddenly and releases Victor. His head hits the ground as his body gives one last hard spasm and a deeply satisfied moan escapes his lips. Vanessa sits up but still straddling her victim.

Victor's eyes open slowly and a wide grin is plastered across his bearded face. He looks up to see Vanessa still on top of him. His blood trickling down her chin, and dripping down to trace red lines which go down into her ample cleavage. She then licks and sucks on her lips to get every last drop it seems. Her eyes are closed and she looks deep in concentration then her body convulses on top of his and Victor enjoys the spectacle.

Vanessa feels every muscle in her body rip and tear as it grows thicker and stronger. She then opens her eyes just barely to look down at her hands. She watches her nails being pushed out by thicker similar looking nails only these are harder and lengthened to points. She feels her canine teeth lengthen and sharpen as well. After the assimilation is complete, she leans forward and supports herself on her arms. Her face is directly above Victor's.

"So… was it as good for you as it was for me?" He asks with a chuckle. He is almost fully recovered from the loss of blood now but is still trapped by her telekinetic hold. Vanessa opens her eyes and finds that she can see better in the low light. She sniffs the air and can smell her perfume, no surprise there, but also the subtle scent of her skin. She then leans lower and sniffs at the trapped Victor. She can smell his subtle muskiness and a hint of a men's cologne but he isn't wearing it.

"You were recently around someone who wore heavy cologne. I'd say… less than two hours." She says as she straightens up. She then focuses on the sounds around her. She can hear a mouse scurry inside the wall on the other side of the room then she hears several heavy footfalls that are coming from a few different areas in the old warehouse. She smiles then as she looks around the room they are in. There are three ways into this room and it has only one large window on the wall that is high up.

"Looks like we have visitors." Vanessa says simply to Victor then the door behind her bursts open. Vanessa quickly launches herself to fly backwards with her arms out and palms facing behind her. She impacts against two men dressed in black like a swat team. Her newly acquired claws dug deep into their lower abdomens and she flings them forward suddenly. Victor watches the two soldiers fly over head and impact the wall. He then discovers that he can move again and so he stands to watch this display.

Two more soldiers in black appear from the doorway behind Vanessa. She kicks high and her boot impacts the man in the face hard. She then drops and rolls as the second man aims and fires a short burst into her stomach. The noise is minimal since these soldiers are using silencers on their weapons. Vanessa takes the pain and feels a rage well up within her the likes of which she has never known. She kicks the gun away and then flips up to catch the soldier under the chin. She holds him suspended in the air with her new enhanced strength she has received from Victor. The door to Victor's left bursts open then and four more soldiers come into the room. They quickly open fire on her. Vanessa simply turns and lets the bullets hit the soldier she is holding. She then flings him at the new comers as hard as she can. The soldier goes flying through the air and impacts against two of them to crash through one of the crumbling inner walls.

Vanessa then leaps high and twists in the air. She uses her telekinetic power to jam the guns of the last two soldiers. She then lands on the brick wall which she quickly kicks off of to impact with the closest soldier. She slams into his chest and smashes his head against the ground. Her head snaps up suddenly to stare at the final soldier who holds a hand gun with a silencer pointed right between her eyes. She looks up the gun and into the soldier's eyes. The gun flies upwards jerking the soldier's hand then suddenly Vanessa is up and her claws dig into the front of his uniform and body armor. She spins him around to be between her and the final door which then bursts open and the final four soldiers enter. They fire but stop suddenly. Vanessa tosses her human shield behind her to impact the two soldiers who are trying to get up from under the one she had tossed earlier.

Vanessa then rolls forward and stops in a crouched position in which she holds her hands out towards the four soldiers with all five fingers of each hand pointed directly at them. She then uses her telekinesis to rip out all her nails and launch them like bullets at the soldiers. They impact the first two and drop them. She then runs across the room. Before she reaches the last two soldiers standing, her claws regenerate quickly and appear red from her blood.

The closest of the two remaining soldiers starts to fire but the gun goes up as Vanessa grabs it. She then grabs the soldier and flings him away behind her into the center of the large room. She then strikes hard at the last one. He fires a short burst into her torso and then the gun is jerked sideways with her left hand and the right comes in at a sweeping arc which slashes through his throat. He drops to the floor and Vanessa just stands there for a second but immediately she is hit with gunfire to the back. Pissed off, she spins around swiftly and leaps the distance to the final soldier in the center of the room. Both hands go for his throat. She sinks the claws of her right hand into the soldier's throat and rips it out with a powerful yank. Blood spurts upwards and around in a crimson shower of sorts. And with that… the battle ends.

Vanessa then stands and looks down at her blood covered hands. Some of it is hers but most of it is from the men who now lay motionless on the floor. She drops the lump of flesh and tries to shake the blood off as the shock sets in. She has killed! She has killed several people now. Suddenly she is grabbed from behind and slammed up against the brick wall. Victor's large clawed hands trap her wrists against the wall.

"That was the most intense, most efficient, most artful slaughter I have ever witnessed." Victor says smoothly in his deep voice which trembles with excitement.

"No, I didn't want to do all that. I didn't want to kill." Vanessa says meekly as tears well up in her golden eyes. Victor smiles and gives a low chuckle.

"Then why did you take my abilities?" He then asks.

"To protect myself." Vanessa whispers and she closes her eyes and turns her head away from him.

"A scared rabbit doesn't fight like a tiger. Tell the truth this time." He then says roughly.

"I needed your healing ability because my skills will be needed several years from now and it won't help if I'm old and worn down." She then answers.

"And how do you know that?" He then inquires.

"I just do." Is all she will answer. Defiance shines in her eyes for a moment then it fades to a more somber look. Victor decides to leave that line of questioning for a later time. He now has her pinned and she is in a vulnerable state mentally. A wicked smile starts to cross his face then.

"That vision you put into my head before you bit me…" He starts to say and then presses his body up against hers. He even thrust one of his knees between her legs to part them. Vanessa then looks at Victor's smiling face and a hint of recognition fills her eyes as Victor whispers into her ear. "I want to make that a reality."

"Victor." Comes Colonel Stryker's voice from behind. The second containment team then files in. Victor gives a low growl as he turns his head to look back over his shoulder.

"You could've given me at least five more minutes and I would've brought her out to you." Victor growls in frustration.

"No one responded, so we came in on our own." Stryker replies matter-of-factly as he looks around at the fallen team. Victor takes a deep breath and contains his rage. He then looks at Vanessa and leans in to whisper in her ear once more before the soldiers come to restrain her.

"You'll be seeing me again real soon." He says and Vanessa doesn't doubt it. She can tell what his thoughts are without reading his mind. She doesn't seem worried about that though. What troubles her is the killing she has done. This second team is quickly cleaning up the mess and a soldier even comes over to put a special glove like set of cuffs on her.

"She does something with her eyes when you look at her." Victor says after she is cuffed. Stryker then orders her to be blindfolded and all Vanessa has left is the sounds and smells. After the bodies are taken out, a fire is set and the old warehouse is burnt to the ground. Vanessa can smell the fire as the helicopter she is put in hovers. As the last passengers climb aboard they fly off. Vanessa doesn't know where but she does know that it will be surrounded by water for she had foreseen it in a vision. She can also smell the soldiers and even Victor, who sits across from her. She just knows he is staring at her… hard and longingly. She has seen his past and even a bit of his future. She will be a part of it but she doesn't know if she can ever get used to his current attitude and personality. Only time would tell.

* * *

Jean pulls back. She knows this Vanessa woman is the lynch pin to the plans Stryker had in the running all those years ago. She could sense it in Victor, in Stryker, and even in Vanessa herself. Jean makes a note to herself to track down this woman later. Right now she needs to return to Logan.

Her shade slips back across the distance to the sleeping dark haired man. He dreams of scenes from wars long past. Jean touches his mind and shifts the dreams to a more peaceful state. She then probes through his past and returns to the memory of when he spilt off from Stryker's team. She gets a mixed jumble of memories of the early seventies. Logan jumped around, did odd jobs… like worked as a bodyguard for a mob boss protecting his lovely daughter and then heading west and north back to Canada where he met that lovely dark haired woman… Jean focuses in on that line of memory… She gets a name… Kayla… Kayla Silverfox.

* * *

**A/N:** This chapter broke away from the movie a little bit, and I even added in an Original Character. As for what Vanessa Pyre can do? Hell, it's in her name… Van Pyre. I found naming her that amusing. Anyhooters, she absorbs powers through consuming blood… and that key ability is what Stryker is going to use to create Weapon XI a.k.a. Deadpool.

This fic will start straying more away from the movie when it gets to that point… especially the end. I don't know about any of you, but I found the 'bullet to the head' explanation to be very weak. I mean come on… neither Logan nor Victor went through all those wars without taking at least one bullet to the computer?

I like my version better… and the sad thing is, they actually had the opportunity to do what I will suggest to be the cause of his memory loss. It's one of those wasted moments… that I plan to correct!

Let me know what ya'll think so far. Reviews are welcome. And feel free to browse my other stories… after all they all come together in a future storyline. **;)**


	4. Chapter 4

**The Moon and The Wolverine**

It has been six years… since he split ways with Major Stryker and his team. He had been expecting that they'd come after him, but they must have better things to do than track him down. Logan just stands outside the door of his log cabin perched up high on a mountain in the Canadian Rockies. He breathes deeply of the sweet, clean air which is brisk against his topless torso. Then _she_ appears…

"Breakfast is ready." The dark haired beauty says with a smile before turning back inside. Logan quickly follows her. He eats well and gets ready for work though she does her best to try and distract him. Soon she is driving him to the worksite where he is working for a logging company.

"I'll see ya around six." Logan says confirming the time that she'll be back to pick him up. She agrees and Logan shoulders his axe and carries his chainsaw as he starts to walk away.

"And where do you think you are going?" Kayla says questioning Logan's sudden exit. He turns to regard her then.

"To work." Logan answers slightly puzzled.

"Not without kissing me good-bye." Kayla then says with a smile as she eyes him with her bright blue eyes. Logan sighs and walks back to her. He can hear his fellow loggers all heckle him as he kisses Kayla. He smiles though after her soft lips part from his. She is his and that bunch can all be jealous for all he cares. He has her.

"I'll see you later." Kayla says suggestively and gets into the elcamino and drives off. Logan gives a quick wave and walks to his fellow loggers. They start their day and work the side of the mountain. It is hard and dangerous work, but the pay is good and it is honest work too. Logan works harder and longer than anyone else since he is unique and his healing factor doesn't allow him to get tired. The day wears on and soon the sun gets low and as six comes around, a military jeep pulls up. Logan doesn't have to turn around to see the owner of the cologne that reaches his nose. It belongs to Stryker.

"Who in the hell are these guys?" The logger next to Logan says as he watches two men step out of the jeep.

"Smells like government." Logan replies with a frown and grabs his axe and chainsaw then starts walking towards Stryker. "What do you want, Major?" Logan asks as he puffs on his cigar which then gets shot down to barely a half inch from his lips. Zero keeps the gun trained on Logan for a moment and the two men stare each other down.

"It's Colonel now. You remember Agent Zero, of course. I must say I was quite surprised to find you out here, Logan." Colonel Stryker says greeting with a warm friendly smile.

"Clean livin'… that's what I'm into now." Logan says as his hazel eyes dart between the two men.

"Do you miss killing?" Zero asks as his dark eyes narrow upon Logan.

"Right about now I am." Logan replies and tenses as he and the Asian man glare at one another again.

"Enough." Stryker says then shows Logan a newspaper from New York. There's a picture of Bradley on the front page seated at some carnival attraction with a light bulb and looking very unhappy. "Bradley was murdered nearly a week ago, Wade went missing a month before, and Victor's gone missing too… someone is hunting us down, Logan." Stryker then says. Logan frowns as he looks up at the Colonel.

"So you want to drag me back in, huh? Is that it?" Logan then says. "Well, my answer is no, Bub. Now get outta my way and never come back." Logan says and pushes past Stryker.

"Your country needs you, Logan!" Stryker shouts at him.

"I'm Canadian!" Logan retorts without looking back as he starts walking down one of the roads leading from the work site and tries to leave his past behind him. Kayla picks him up about three miles down the road. She is concerned and lets Logan drive them home.

"What's wrong?" She asks and touches his cheek to comfort him. Logan sighs.

"My Past is catching up with me." Logan starts. "A man came to see me today. A military man I used to work for."

"What did he want?" Kayla then asks curious.

"He wanted my skills… because I'm best at what I do… and what I do isn't very nice." Logan answers and frowns as he looks at the road.

"Are you going back?" She then asks.

"No." Logan says seriously. He then stops the car as the bridge is blocked by two trucks and the drivers are chatting with one another. Logan waits a minute then loses patience and hunks the horn.

"Hey, Bub! Could you let us pass!" Logan yells out his window. The two men ignore him. Logan huffs. "That's it."

"Stay in the car… please." Kayla pleads with her bright blue eyes. Logan has a moment to consider it but decides he is getting out.

"I'm just going to talk, nothing more." Logan says to reassure her as he steps out of the car and walks up to the men. "Could you please just move your truck so we can pass?" Logan asks nicely. The man standing between the trucks gives Logan a glare.

"We're trying to have a conversation here." The man says gruffly. Logan is starting to lose patience.

"Please, we've got groceries in the back and it's been a long day… and I just need to get home." Logan says as nicely as he can through nearly gritted teeth.

"Look, buddy… I'll move when I feel like it."

"I'm not your buddy, Friend." Logan says mockingly.

"Well, I'm not your friend, guy." The man says and swings on Logan who catches the fist in his left hand. Logan just really wants to slide his bone claws out and catch this guy right in the balls.

"Enough! Stop it both of you. You're acting like children." Kayla says as she steps in-between them and places a hand on their shoulders. She then looks at the man. "Please move your truck so we can pass." She says and he gets this look on face like he's puzzled then nods his head and gets into his truck. Kayla and Logan turn away and head for their vehicle as the truck moves.

"That was impressive. How'd you do that?" Logan then asks.

"I have the power of persuasion." Kayla says as she opens the passenger side door. Logan raises an eyebrow.

"Oh, really? And have you used this power of yours on me?" Logan then asks.

"You didn't stay in the car." She says with a smile and slides in. Logan huffs a chuckle and gets in as well. They head home and once there, Kayla makes Logan a steak dinner. After they are done eating, Kayla clears the table.

"There's an old story about the Moon… and her lover." Kayla starts.

"And do you tell this story to your kids, Teach?" Logan retorts with a warm smile.

"It's an old myth." Kayla answers and levels a hard, yet playful glare at Logan.

"Oh, so it's a true story then?" Logan then mocks lightly.

"In the Spirit World dwelt the Moon and her lover… Kuekuatsheu." Kayla starts and she slinks her way from the kitchen to the living room area. "They were happy together…" She continues as she straddles Logan's lap. "But the Trickster… Fox… wanted the Moon for himself, so he told Kuekuatsheu that she wanted him to pick flowers for her. Fox told him the way to Earth and that he would find the most beautiful flowers there in a meadow. So Kuekuatsheu did as he was told and left the Spirit World to seek flowers here on Earth…" Kayla says then gets a sad look in her blue eyes as she continues, "But when he tried to return, the way was closed… for what he didn't know was that once you leave the Spirit World you can never return. So Kuekuatsheu mourns his lost love. He can look up into the night sky every night to see her there, but he can never return to her." Kayla finishes as she leans back then draws closely to Logan once more.

"Damn. Coocoo-chachoo got screwed." Logan says with a smirk.

"Kuekuatsheu… it means… the Wolverine." Kayla says seriously and their lips meet in a tender passion.

* * *

Logan sleeps and his dreams are fitful. All the fighting. All the killing. All the dying. He has watched many a friend and lover die, whether by the hand of another or by Time. Sooner or later, he loses everyone close to him. Logan shoots up out of his sleep with his arms ready and bone claws slashing at the sheets. He looks around then it hits him… he looks over to his right to see if…

"Bad dream?" Kayla says as she comes into the bedroom from the bathroom wrapped in a red blanket. Logan just looks so relieved. "Was it the wars?" She then asks. He had told her the truth about himself… how he heals quickly and ages very slowly. She accepted him and stuck with him. "Which one?"

"It was all of them." Logan says as his breath calms though his body is still slick with sweat. Kayla lays a hand upon his chest and Logan notices the three scratch marks upon her forearm. He gives her a pained look.

"Let's get some rest." She says simply with a smile to show him it's nothing to worry about. Logan easily complies and lays upon his back. Kayla nestles into his left side and rubs his chest. Logan just sighs.

"I'm sorry." He whispers to her about the scratches.

"Don't worry about it." She says and swirls her fingers through his chest hair. Logan soon falls asleep once more and this time he dreams of Kayla and him out under the moon.

* * *

The next day dawns, Logan gets dropped off at work while Kayla goes to teach at the local elementary school. Logan works hard and as they move along the mountain, he gets an odd feeling. He chalks it up to Stryker's visit yesterday which unnerved him a bit to be sure. He can't help but wonder… Could Victor be the one hunting down the old team? Victor and Wade never got along… Bradley would've been an ease mark… but could Victor be foolish enough to come after him now?

That's when Logan smells it… blood. He moves away from the tree they had been working on as the other guys stop for the day since it's getting late. Logan then discovers a severed head of an animal… a wolverine, frozen in a snarl. He picks up another scent… a familiar scent and Logan follows it. He sees bloody claw marks on some trees… it's Victor's calling card. Logan drops his stuff and runs through the forest following the scent.

He stops as he comes upon Kayla's car on the dirt road leading up to the worksite. It's off and there's long claw marks running up the hood on the driver's side. The wind shifts and Logan smells blood… lots of blood. He darts in the direction it is coming from. That's when he sees…

"Kayla?" Logan says her name in a near whisper as he stops a dozen or so feet from her laying on the forest floor… covered in blood. Her blood. The scent overwhelms him and he looks at her through bleary eyes as the tears start to fall. He falls to his knees beside the woman he had fallen so swiftly in love with just two months ago. Something inside Logan snaps and he gets up, leaving Kayla's body and he tracks the familiar scent of his brother.

* * *

Victor Creed sits in a make-shift bar scratching a smiley face into the counter top with his long claws. He is smirking quite satisfied with himself as he sits and waits.

"You're not from around here are you?" The bartender asks as he looks nervously at Victor who only smiles wider.

"What gave me away?" Victor then asks as he notices the fear start to cross the man's face. "Do you have insurance on this place?" Victor then asks.

"No. Why?" The bartender asks confused.

"Oh, no reason… just that the shit's about to hit the fan." Victor then says and suddenly the large barn doors slide open.

"Victor!" Logan shouts angrily.

"Look here whatever is going on between you two… take it outside." The bartender says loudly. Logan's bone claws slide out and Victor smiles. The bar patrons all run away at the strange sight.

"You didn't have to kill her!" Logan shouts.

"Well, how else was I supposed to get your attention? You don't write. You don't call. It's almost like you never want to see me again." Victor says with a mock pout.

"Yeah, well now I want to kill ya, Bub." Logan says coolly. Victor snarls and charges on all fours as Logan shouts and runs forward. Victor leaps into the air and catches Logan, digging his claws into his little brother's chest. Logan groans in pain as they hit the ground and Victor removes his claws then clamps down again to grab Logan by his ribcage. He hoists him up and throws him at a pile of large logs. Lightning flashes and thunder splits the sky as it begins to rain upon the wood mill grounds.

Logan shakes his head as Victor grabs him and before he can stab the bigger blonde man with his bone claws… Logan goes flying once more. He hits another pile of logs and falls to his feet. Victor comes at him, but Logan is more ready now. He lets Victor swipe in with a clawed hand feels the long claws dig into his upper arm but Victor groans as he is stabbed in the chest by a set of bone claws.

Victor pulls back as he releases Logan's arm. They both take a moment to heal then Logan presses on slashing at Victor who ducks and dodges away. Victor then grabs Logan by the wrist.

"You're never going to beat me, Jimmy." Victor then says and tosses Logan into an on-coming semi truck's path. Logan is hit and rolls over the top along the load of logs and then falls face down in the mud. He groans in pain as he feels his bones pop back into place and heal. Victor strolls up to him as he is on the ground still healing.

"You just don't have it in you, little brother." Victor says and digs his claws into Logan's back, hoists him up and throws him at another stack of logs. Logan is dazed by the impact. "Maybe I should've raped her before I killed her… what do ya think about that, Jimmy?" Logan screams as he thrusts both claws up and catches Victor in the gut. Victor only smiles and grabs Logan by the throat. He then plants a foot on Logan's stomach and rolls backwards as he kicks Logan away to hit another pile of logs. Victor quickly leaps up on the pile and slashes at the straps. The heavy logs then tumble down and hit Logan squarely in the chest.

"You're spent, Jimmy." Victor says as he lifts two logs off Logan one at a time and tosses them to the side. Logan snarls and jumps up to slash at Victor. He catches his older brother across the stomach and Victor retreats backwards. Logan stumbles out and slips in the mud. He falls down upon the train tracks. Victor shakes his head.

"Such a waste." He then says and stomps on Logan's left set of bone claws, breaking them. Logan screams and rolls over as the rain washes the blood and mud off of him. He weeps for losing Kayla and his inability to avenge her death. Logan then passes out from the pain.

* * *

Logan's hazel eyes snap open and as he looks around, he notices that he is on the operating table of a hospital. The doctor and his assistants all look confused.

"Ease there, buddy. You were in a bar fight and banged up pretty bad." The doctor says as Logan gets off the table and looks at his ruined shirt.

"I'm fine now. Nothing to worry about." Logan then says and walks out. He still feels pretty raw about not being able to beat Victor. Then he goes through a door and comes face to face with Colonel Stryker.

"What now? Come to kick me while I'm down?" Logan snaps angrily.

"No, I heard over the scanners about your fight." Stryker then says and frowns. "I warned you though that someone is after the old team… someone with a vendetta."

"It's Victor." Logan says coldly. It hits him like a fist to the gut at what his brother has done to him. It's unforgivable!

"Victor?" Stryker asks confused.

"Yeah." Logan replies hotly. "And I'm going to kill him!" Logan adds then pushes past Stryker, but the Colonel reaches out and grabs Logan's arm. Logan reacts and slams Stryker into the wall.

"Don't touch me." Logan whispers coolly and his bone claws slide out and poke under Stryker's chin.

"He's already proven he can beat you, Logan…" Stryker says as he feels the claws prick at his skin.

"This isn't making me feel any better." Logan whispers hotly.

"You have to be stronger… and I can help you there." Stryker says and Logan relaxes a bit. "Remember that meteorite in Africa?"

"Yeah. What of it?" Logan then asks and lets his claws slide back into his arms.

"We found it… it's a rare metal unlike another and I can use it to make you indestructible… but first I will have to destroy you. Do you sound up for it, Soldier?" Stryker then asks. Logan thinks for a moment. This may be just what he needs.

"Okay, you do what you need to do to me with it… and then you point me in Victor's direction and you get the hell out of the way! And once he's dead… we are done! Understand that, Stryker? Done!" Logan then says angrily as he eyes Stryker who only smiles.

"That's a fair trade, but if you go after him… you may not like what you find." Stryker then says to caution Logan.

"Don't care… I'm going to kill him." Logan answers as his eyes glare with murderous intent. "One last thing… I want new tags." He then says.

"The same shall be reissued to you-"

"No! I want these to say, 'Wolverine'." Logan then says.

"Done." Stryker complies with a nod of his head and Logan leaves with Stryker.

* * *

**A/N:** I tried to stick a little closer to the movie in this chapter, but I couldn't resist putting in the endless Canadian argument from **South Park!** lol _I'm not your Buddy, Guy! I'm not your Guy, Friend! I'm not your Friend, Buddy!_ It can go on forever!

Let me know what ya'll think :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Weapon X**

**A/N:** Welcome back True Believers! I know it's been a awhile since I updated this one. It happens though… Now here's where it starts to get wibbly-wobbly as far as the plot goes for the movie. Some things will be like they were in the movie and there will be some different twists. I just hope ya'll enjoy the read and that it was worth the wait! **:)**

* * *

The helicopter ride takes a few hours but Logan doesn't mind. He just focuses on why he is doing this… Kayla. She is dead and gone… murdered by Victor simply because he was so upset at Logan leaving him years ago. Simply because she knew him and Victor could use that fact against him. Kayla is dead because of him… and Victor WILL pay for what he's done.

They land on the heli-pad and enter the base which is set-up near a lake with a large hydro-electric dam close by for power. The base seems small… until they go below ground that is… and Logan gets a feel for the immense size of the place. It doesn't surprise him that it's secret considering how Stryker has always had a penchant for secrecy.

They enter a large concrete room with columns and a large squared glass tub in the center filled with water. Lots of equipment is scattered around it… tubes are attached to long thin drills and a vat that's suspended overhead. It's hot in here and Logan is asked to get undressed. He does so and isn't embarrassed to have the many military men and a few women look at his unclad form. The only thing he leaves on, his new dog tags. Logan notices all the general types and other various military leaders standing in a control room separated high up overlooking this large room.

Stryker soon appears up there with a beautiful blonde woman wearing all white following him closely. Logan has never seen her before and as he studies her curiously, her bright blue eyes are blank as she looks down at him. He wonders who she is and why she is here since she looks so out of place around all these military men. Logan doesn't have time to dwell on it though as a female doctor applies monitoring sensors to his head and chest. She then instructs him to lay down.

"Whatever the reason is that you are doing this… hold on to that… because this pain is going to be like nothing you've ever experienced before." The female doctor says as she gives Logan a sad look. Logan then recalls something Stryker said to him earlier… _'If you really want to beat Victor, you have to become the animal.'_

"I can take it." Logan replies as he lays down and is secured by straps to a metal gurney. A breathing mask is placed over his mouth then and he is slowly lowered into the glass tub. Now Logan starts to think of how it reminds him of a coffin. As he waits for the show to start, he can hear Stryker talking to the other military men up in the control room. The water muffles the sound, but is unmistakable none the less.

"Greetings, gentlemen. You are about to witness history as he take this man and coat his bones with a rare metal known as adamantium. It is unbreakable and therefore, will make his bones unbreakable." Stryker starts as he greets his superiors.

"This better be worth it, Colonel Stryker." General Munson says sternly.

"That's what we are about to see… now if you will direct your attention to the subject below…" Stryker says and gestures to Logan in the glass container. He then turns to the control operators and nods his head as he says, "Commence Project Weapon X."

"X?" General Munson then asks curiously.

"X as in the Roman numeral for ten." Stryker replies with a friendly smile to the group of military men. The long thin drills start to whirl and the high pitched electric hum can be heard by all. "Keep a close eye on his vitals." Stryker then says as the drills descend. They enter the water as they heat up to a glowing red and hover barely a half an inch from Logan's body… they shoot forward and pierce his skin. Some even come up from the bottom of the tank and Logan's body jolts from the sudden searing pain. Every bone is penetrated and soon the molten metal is pouring through the tubes and into his bones. This pain makes the drills seem like a pin-prick. It is deep and immediate as the metal flows into the cell structure of his bones… changing them, altering them into something different, something metallic. Logan wants to scream and thrash and escape this torture, but he knows he needs to be stronger to kill Victor and avenge the death of Kayla… his Moon.

"Heart rate has increased to over one hundred and sixty bpms. Blood Pressure is at 212 over 142 and climbing." The female doctor says as she watches the monitor up in the control booth.

"Hang in there, Logan… you can do this." Stryker whispers as he watches Logan intently.

"Shouldn't he be unconscious for this?" Another of the generals asks as they all watch the horrifying process taking place below.

"His unique ability allows him to heal rapidly, so anesthetics won't affect him… hence why he had to volunteer willingly for this procedure." Stryker answers as he continues to eye Logan. The woman in white looks dazed and draws her hands up to her head.

"It hurts… it hurts so much… too much. Kayla. Kayla." She starts to say and Stryker looks at her then moves to comfort her.

"It's alright, Emma. Here. I'll give you something for the pain." Stryker says as he tilts her head forward, brushes her long loose blonde hair away then pulls out a vial with dropper and drops a single liquid drop at the nape of her neck below her hair line. Her nervous jitters subside and she becomes very relaxed.

"Is something wrong with Ms. Frost?" General Munson asks in suspicion.

"Nothing to be concerned about." Stryker says to the gathered men. He then looks at Emma and whispers, "Don't focus on Logan… just focus on these military men and let them see this project going smoothly." Emma's blue eyes look blankly at Stryker then turn to regard the military men in the room. Soon pleased looks and hopeful nods are visible amid their faces. Then suddenly the monitors start beeping as Logan flat-lines and Emma's concentration is broken.

"I thought you said he could survive this?" General Munson says sternly as Stryker looks down at Logan more than a bit perplexed. He then sighs.

"Perhaps it was more than he could take." Stryker says with a sigh and then straightens. "Very well then… collect tissues samples. I want a full mark up of his DNA." Stryker says to one of his medical staff. He then turns to the military men. "Gentleman, fear not, there is another just like Patient X. In fact, they are brothers… if you'll all wait patiently… we can restart the Weapon X program with him."

Logan's heart may not be beating… but that doesn't mean he is dead and the moment he hears those words leave Stryker's mouth, he realizes that he has been played. His submerged body jerks and his fists clench… then his new metal claws slide out with a slow 'shink' sound. The heart monitor starts back up and everyone turns to regard the tub down below.

"Sir… I think he heard you." Agent Zero says as he steps forward drawing his gun. Logan bursts out of the water with a savage primal scream. A bullet takes him in the head and slides against the metal skull underneath. It hits like a fist. The slash heals quickly and Logan turns his rage filled eyes to the cool agent up in the observation booth. Zero then continues to fire. Logan jumps out of the tub and gets hit by gunfire from the response team that started pouring into the large room.

He slashes savagely at them. Cutting through their guns, flesh, and bones like water. His claws hit some of the columns as he runs past. He just wants to get out, so Logan rushes down the corridor. He has the presence of mind to look for exit signs and so follows them. He doesn't recognize this part of the base. He feels he is going higher, then… there is a large blast door just big enough for a squad of soldiers to walk through. Logan tries the handle but it's locked. He screams and slashes with his right hand in a downward diagonal. He then slashes at the same angle from the opposite side of the door with his left hand cutting an 'x' into the door. He then kicks it open and rushes outside.

The sunlight blinds him and he puts his hands up. He notices the glint of his new metal claws. So he stops and stares at his blood covered hands and the shiny claws. The heartache, the pain, the sense of betrayal… it all comes crashing down upon Logan at once, so he screams in agony and rage. He then goes still as he curls in on himself and determination wells up within him. Stryker will pay… but first, Victor and he have a debt to settle. Logan then looks at the edge of the cliff. He is on the mountain and he can see the lake below, so he runs and jumps. The sense of falling seems to last forever and it feels quite freeing… then the water rushes up and he impacts. Pain. Nothing breaks but it does knock the wind out of him for a moment and Logan swims away as soon as he recovers.

* * *

Logan runs through the valleys between the mountains for hours until he finds himself out in the rolling foothills. Even though the sun is shining brightly above, though it is starting to dip lower to the mountains, it is a bit cool out… and Logan counters that by moving. He runs and scurries through the forest then out onto the wavy grasses and wildflowers.

The activity keeps him warm and Logan stops near the crest of a hill. That's when he smells it… smoke… from a woodstove. He's downwind maybe ten miles at the most, so Logan hurries and follows his nose.

He stops at a farmhouse with the name 'Hudson' on the mail box after nearly an hour passes and hurries across the gravel road. That's when he hears the engine of a truck and he panics, dashing for the barn hopefully before he is seen… but the truck pulls up to the farm house. Logan's heart hammers away inside his chest. He hides in the barn but focuses his ears on the truck. It shuts off and he hears both doors open and close. Two people.

"I'll go check the barn, Hun. You go inside and get supper started." Sounds the gruff voice of an old man.

"Yes, Dear… and be careful. He looked really scared." The old woman says with sympathy and Logan relaxes somewhat. These people are just simple, kind country folk and have nothing to do with Stryker. Stryker… that manipulative son of a-

"What are you doing here?" The old man says snapping Logan from his thoughts.

"I was cold." Logan replies as he crouches there naked.

"Well, you've got no clothes on." The old man says pointedly. "You're not on drugs are you?" The old man then asks as he gives Logan a curious look. Logan can see the old man holds a rifle under his arm.

"No… nothing like that." Logan replies with a shake of his head.

"Rough night then huh?" The man says and lowers the gun.

"Yeah, you say that." Logan says with a slight huff.

"It's warmer in the house." The old man says with warmth and it surprises Logan. "First though… you better cover up. Don't need ya giving the old lady a heart attack." The old man adds with a smile as he walks up and holds a blanket out to Logan. His weary hazel eyes look at the old man sadly before he accepts the offered piece of cloth.

"Thanks." Logan says and stands. He wraps the blanket around his shoulders and waist making sure he is covered.

"I'm Travis by the way." The old man says as he offers his hand out to the now covered Logan.

"Logan." They shake hands and share a friendly smile before they start walking to the farmhouse.

"You can spend the night if you need to and we can probably find you some better fitting clothes in my son's old things." Travis says as he walks besides Logan.

"You're too kind." Logan then says to the old man.

"It is written in the Letters of Paul that 'We must be all things to all men'." Travis says with a smile and nod of his head. Logan smiles. He knows the Bible well… many have spoken to him about it and he actually sat down and read it once from cover to cover. It all seemed like a bunch of BS to him but there were some good points in it.

"I'm glad you are a follower of 'The Golden Rule'." Logan then says with a smile.

"Yes, 'Do onto others as you would have them do onto you'. It's the best advice to live by if you want to 'Love your neighbor'." Travis says with a nod as they approach the backdoor of the farmhouse.

"Not many people are so loving in this world, Travis… and I'd hate to see someone take advantage of you and your wife, so I'll leave when the sun comes up." Logan then says.

"At least stay long enough for breakfast then." Travis says as he gives Logan a kind look.

"You talked me into it." Logan says with a nod of his head. "Mind if I get a shower?" Logan then asks as Travis opens the door.

"Down the hall, first door on the left." Travis says and leads Logan inside. "First though let me introduce you to my wife…" Travis adds as they enter the kitchen and the elderly woman turns to regard the two men as she prepares supper.

"This is the love of my life, Heather." Travis says as he kisses her on the cheek and she blushes.

"You've always been a sweet talker." She says with a smile and looks at Logan.

"Honey, this is Logan. He's had a hard time so he'll be spending the night with us." Travis then says introducing his wife to the strange man who just ran naked across their lawn not that long ago.

"Ma'ma." Logan says and gently shakes her hand.

"You're welcome under our roof and at our dinner table." Heather then says to Logan. "As long as you wear some clothes of course." She adds with a smile and both men chuckle at that statement.

"I can accept that." Logan says still smiling then excuses himself from the kitchen. He finds the bathroom easily enough and sets the blanket aside. He showers and lets the hot water flow over his muscled form yet it does nothing to relax him. The last twenty-four hours have been the hardest Logan has ever lived through. He sighs deeply then turns the water off. He dries himself and dresses in some new clothes that Travis had placed inside the door while he showered, but he can't help to just stand there before the sink and mirror for a moment longer.

Logan pops his claws out on his right hand and looks at the metal blades. He runs the thumb of his left hand up the bottom edge of one claw. He then traces his index finger along the top edge feeling where the sharp edge blunts closer to his knuckles. He then pops the claws on his left hand and admires both sets. He nods as he thinks about how he'd like to see Victor break these.

Then he clangs the two sets of claws together and the edges rub. Sparks result and Logan is surprised. He brings them together and slides the edges smoothly across each other drawing up more sparks. Logan smiles at this and starts to get bold in making sparks. Then there is a knock on the bathroom door. Logan is taken by surprise so his left hand swings down quickly and slashes at the sink which cuts a corner off instantly. There is little resistance.

"Shit." Logan mutters and reaches for the sink only to slash at the faucet. He takes out one of the knobs and the pipe it is connected to and water starts pouring out. Logan panics and reaches for a towel that is drying on a radiator next to the sink… but he winds up slashing it and the wall as well.

"Are you all right in there?" Comes Travis' voice through the door.

"Yeah. I'll just be another minute." Logan says with a frown.

"Alright, supper is ready." Travis says then Logan can hear him walk away.

"Dammit all." Logan then mumbles grumpily as he retracts his claws and starts to shut the sink's water line off by turning the control knob under it. The spray ceases and Logan sighs as he uses his towel from earlier to mop up the floor.

* * *

"I'm sorry." Logan says as he places the loose half of the sink on the kitchen countertop. Travis and Heather give each other a worried look before returning their attention to Logan. "I'll fix it. I swear. I have money to buy a new sink for you and I know how to do repairs around the house."

"It's fine, Logan." Travis says calmly with a small smile to put Logan at ease. The situation has become awkward so Logan sighs as Heather kindly tells him to sit at the table. He seats himself and Heather places an empty plate before him. The woman then starts placing a large bowl of mashed potatoes before Logan, a basket of rolls, another big bowl of green beans, and finally a plate with fried chicken pieces on it. Travis and Heather hold hands… Heather leaves her left hand out for Logan to take. He does so hesitantly and watches them bow their heads as Travis says grace. Logan feels guilty for intruding on their peaceful life in this moment… but he is grateful for what they have done for him.

"Listen, I just wanted to say thanks… for everything." Logan says with a slight smile to the elderly couple as they start to place food upon their plates.

"It just didn't seem right to leave you outside in the cold." Travis says warmly.

"It was the decent thing to do." Heather says with a motherly smile and Logan can't help but smile sadly at her.

"Decent?" He says in a near whisper as a forlorn look fills his hazel eyes.

"What was that?" Heather asks as she turns her eyes to him once more.

"It's just that I don't have much experience with decency." Logan then says and the old couple give him looks of sympathy for his unspoken plight.

"I seen that old chopper you've got out there in the barn." Logan starts to change the mood that has fallen over the table. The light in Travis's eyes sparks anew.

"You're into motorcycles?" Travis asks with a small excited smile.

"Oh Lord, here we go." Heather says with a knowing chuckle as she finishes placing the food on the table.

"My favorite is the '48 Pan Head… I bought one new off the line." Logan says with a grin then realizes too late what he has said.

"I think that's a little before your time, Son." Travis says as he gives Logan a curious look. Logan doesn't say a word about it. They eat for awhile in silence.

"You get a good night's rest." Heather starts with a warm smile.

"Out in the barn. There's nothing out there for you to break." The old man says with a smile.

"Much appreciated." Logan says and they finish eating in silence. After supper, Logan heads out to the barn with Travis. They carry some quilts and a pillow. Travis points out an old cot they have in the back area which Logan dusts off and puts one quilt down then the pillow. The other two are laid at the foot of the bed for Logan to keep warm with and Travis leaves him alone after saying goodnight. Once more Logan is left to his troubled thoughts.

"Where is he?" Stryker asks calmly of the dazed blonde woman. His eyes are hard upon her as his patience is tested. Her bright blues eyes dart about scanning… searching for something not found within the room they stand in.

"I see a barn. An elderly couple. Hudson is on the mailbox. Travis… Travis Hudson and his wife Heather. Logan is in the barn." The blonde says flatly as her eyes focus. She then sees Logan's thoughts… they are of his lost Moon… _Kayla_. Her eyes mist and tears threaten. Stryker immediately leans her head forward and pulls out a vial with a dropper. He puts a drop on her neck just below her hairline. She instantly calms and becomes emotionless once more.

"Very good, Emma. Very good indeed." Stryker says warmly to the lovely blonde. He then stands and walks away from her to where Agent Zero stands at the ready. "Get that address and kill him… as well as anyone who gets in your way." Stryker then says coldly to the calm Asian man.

"Yes, sir." Agent Zero says simply with a nod of his head and walks off. He is determined to bring this rabid animal down.


	6. Chapter 6

**On the run**

The day dawns bright and clear. Logan awakens and gets dressed. He looks at the bike and checks the engine. Everything looks good. He taps the gas tank… mostly full. He wonders when was the last time Travis had this puppy out for a spin. Probably ten years. Then there's the unanswered question about where their son is. Logan has a bad feeling about that… Vietnam was hell, worse than World War II in some ways.

"Did ya sleep well?" Travis asks pulling Logan from his thoughts.

"Yeah… yeah, I did." Logan answers meekly. It sounds lame even to him. Travis takes a few more steps into the barn closer to Logan you is leaning against the Harley.

"You look like a man fixin' to do a bad thing." Travis then says with concern. Logan looks to the old man with curious eyes and thinks, _'He's more perceptive than I thought.'_

"You know what happens to a man who goes lookin' for blood?" Travis then asks as the concern etches his weathered face.

"What?" Logan asks and his sad eyes never leave the old man.

"They usually find it." Travis then cautions. He sighs then adds, "We've got a choice, Son."

""Well, mine was taken from me." Logan says as he looks away and his voice is harder than it has been in his short time here.

"Bullshit." Travis says sternly and the swear word catches Logan off guard. He quickly looks at Travis with an arched eyebrow, taking in the farmer with new eyes. They share a look for awhile as Logan has no come back… there's a million and one things he could say, but he lets the silence hang heavy between them. Travis then pulls a leather jacket from behind his back. He looks at it with sorrowful eyes.

"This was my son's jacket." Travis then says breaking the silence and his voice cracks ever so slightly. Logan knows the death of his son weights heavy on the old man. Travis then tosses it to Logan and he catches it with one hand. "Try it on." So Logan pulls the leather jacket on and it fits him like a dream. He can smell the old leather and hints of stale aftershave around the collar from the old man's long dead son. Logan feels a weight, a responsibility, on his shoulders come with the gift.

"Thank you." Logan says simply and with respect as he nods his head to Travis. He understands this means something to the old man… it's some way of honoring the lost son perhaps. Travis smiles and a light of pride fills his old eyes at the sight of Logan in the jacket.

"Yep." Travis says and walks closer until he stands next to the front of the bike. He looks at it and smiles again. "Wanna take my bike out for a spin? Test the suspension?" Travis asks as he looks back up at Logan who smiles in return as he nods his head.

"A '64, huh?" Logan says as he straddles the bike and his weight presses the bike down considerably. Both men look surprised.

"Man, you're heavy." Travis comments and lets a chuckle slip.

"Yeah, I put on a little extra weight recently." Logan says and chuckles as well.

"Good morning." Heather says brightly as she makes her way through the slightly opened barn door with a tray of breakfast and orange juice upon it. Logan stands up immediately at the woman's entrance. Travis smiles warmly at his wife.

"Good morning." Logan says to her as she comes to stand between them. She stops and admires Logan in the leather jacket. Logan can see her eyes start to mist as her breath hitches.

"Oh… It fits you beautifully." She then says with a warm, motherly smile to him. She then lifts the tray a little and says, "I brought you some break-"

She doesn't finish… as the window pane behind her breaks and blood pools on the front of her clothing… then a second shot hits and the tray is struck bursting the pitcher of orange juice and knocking Heather face first to the barn floor. Shock paints the faces of both men… then Travis is struck in the chest and he falls back against Logan.

"NO!" Logan shouts as he drops to the dirt floor and drags Travis back towards some hay. The old man blinks a few times then slips into death. Logan is stricken with a mix of sorrow, regret for coming here, and rage.

"Stryker." Logan whispers as he looks out the window where the shots came from. Only one person can hit his mark perfectly from so far away… Agent Zero.

"Weapon X is in the barn. He just murdered two civilians." Agent Zero says into his wrist com after he lowers his sniper rifle.

"Blow him to pieces. Let's see if he can survive that?" Stryker says into his walkie-talkie as he watches video monitors of the scene unfolding at the farm. The helicopter whirling overhead comes in low and takes aim at some fuel tanks at the back of the barn. The pilot presses the red button on his control stick and two missiles rocket off. The explosion demolitions the whole barn and Agent Zero smirks thinking Logan has finally been dealt with… Then his smirk drops instantly into a frown as Logan zooms out through the barn doors like a bat out of hell on a Harley.

Logan races down the gravel road and then across an open stretch of field as the pursuing helicopter fires his guns at him. He can the impacts getting closer so he darts from the tree line and takes the bike off-road through the woods. After first the firing stops, but before Logan can smile it resumes and bullets whiz around him. Some strike trees, others hit the back fender and tail pipe of the bike. It's all too close for comfort.

Logan slides the bike down a steep hill and finds himself out on another gravel road. He can hear the roar of the hummer coming up from behind. It gets closer and bursts out of the woods to follow behind on the road. Logan throttles the bike as fast as it can go as bullets whiz past from the gunner on the military vehicle behind… then he scowls as another hummer comes barreling out of the woods to take the road ahead. Logan comes up from behind as the gunner on this new hummer turns to point his gun at the fugitive. Logan moves up along side, pops a wheely as well as the claws of his left hand, and slashes through the barrel of the 50 cal machine gun as it is being fired at him. The gunner is knocked from his perch and hits the road. The vehicle behind swerves to miss but doesn't lose control or crash. Now both hummers are behind him… at least only one has a gun.

As he approaches a hill on the road, the helicopter comes open and looms low with the blades tilted just so to mow Logan down. He pops the claws out on his left hand and uses them as a pivot point in the gravel road as he turns the bike around on a dime. His claws retract and he then throttles up to race back at the vehicle with no gun. He pops the claws out on his left hand again and slashes down the entire driver side of that vehicle taking out both tires. It flips and rolls on the road. The helicopter has to pull up and dodge to the right or impact the hummer.

Logan then catches a grip on the other hummer and climbs up. He slashes to gunner and tosses him out then grins as he fires the machine gun up at the helicopter. A missile is fired and Logan's grin disappears. As the explosion destroys the vehicle beneath him, Logan jumps at the last second and is propelled into the air. He uses his claws to slash at the chopper's blades and then anchors himself to the top with them. The helicopter drops from the sky and Logan jumps off just before it hits the road.

The helicopter rolls and comes to a stop. Logan slowly lifts himself from the gravel road and he injuries heal in seconds. He's grateful that he doesn't have any broken bones at least… one good thing about the metal on his skeleton Logan supposes. He then looks towards the crashed helicopter as a nasty gash over his left eye closes. He walks over and hears Stryker over the radio.

"Agent Zero. Is Logan dead? Report back." Comes Stryker's voice.

"I'm down. I don't know about Logan." Zero answers as he grits through the pain of his sever injuries.

"Is he dead? Is Logan dead? Agent Zero!" Stryker asks and there is an edge of panic in the colonel's voice.

"You'll have to go to the island without me." Zero says as Logan comes to stand before the injured Agent. He can smell the blood seeping from major wounds in the Asian man's torso… he won't walk away from this. Logan grabs the head phone com set off of Zero's head. The injured man just glares daggers at him.

"You tried to kill me." Logan says heatedly as he holds the mic up to his lips.

"Logan?" Stryker says with some surprise.

"Where's Victor?" Logan asks coldly as he glares at Zero.

"Logan, come back to base, I'll explain everything, and we'll take Victor down together." Stryker says with honeyed words. Logan can hear the pleasant smile of the lie being uttered.

"Wrong Answer." Logan says hotly. "After I kill Victor… I'm coming for you."

"Logan, listen to me. If you go down this road, you're not going to like what you find." Stryker cautions.

"You wanted the animal, Colonel… you got it." Logan says heatedly and throws down the headset. He then says to Agent Zero, "Those were good people back there. Innocent people." Agent Zero just starts laughing. It starts out small but grows louder and louder. Logan's anger boils just beneath the surface. He wants to just pop his claws and stab Zero… but that would be quick. So Logan turns and walks away knowing Zero will be dead in less than twenty minutes. It will be slow and painful.

"It's funny how good innocent people tend to die around you!" Zero says loudly though his voice is strained. Logan stops walking and looks over his shoulder with a scowl to the dying man.

"So do the bad ones." Logan says coldly and pops the claws on his left hand. He scratches the graveled ground striking a spark which ignites a trail of fuel run-off. He then continues to walk away as the flames race back to the heap of metal that was once a helicopter. Zero's eyes go wide as the fire hits the gas tank… the explosion burns out and blows Logan's hair but he is far enough away to remain on his feet. He is determined to get Victor next… then Stryker.

* * *

Colonel Stryker and his lead scientist, Dr. Frost stand in the room holding the dazed blonde telepath. They are discussing the current problem… Logan.

"Agent Zero never stood a chance." Dr. Frost says with a solemn shake of his head. Stryker then looks at the seated Emma.

"Then it's a good thing I have an Ace in the hole." Stryker says with a smile then looks at the grey haired scientist. "This facility has been compromised. Prep transport. We leave for the island immediately."

"Yes, sir." Dr. Frost says and walks away. Stryker's gaze returns to the lovely Emma. He has plans for her. "Come." He says simply to her and walks away. He has to discuss the situation with General Munson and convince him to continue funding Stryker's work. Stryker finds the General in the ruined room where Logan's bones were laced with adamantium. The older military man is staring hard at the tub as Stryker approaches. Emma stays behind a fe3w steps.

"I am sorry for the troubles, General. I assure you we have our best men out on Weapon X's trail and he shall be dealt with accordingly." Stryker starts with an easy smile as he stops at the foot of the tub.

"Colonel, this is turning into a disaster." General Munson says heatedly.

"Don't worry, General… we'll stop him." Stryker says reassuringly.

"Really?" The General asks doubtful of Stryker's words. "You just spent half a billion dollars making him indestructible." The General's eyes narrow.

"General, Logan isn't the only piece of this puzzle. I need to evacuate this facility, so please go back to Washington. We've got work to do." Stryker then says ad Emma takes her cue. She focuses on the general and his eyes soften.

"You are right, Stryker. I will return to Washington." General Munson says and walks away.

"Good work, Emma." Stryker says with a smile to the blonde with the blank eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

**What happens in Vegas… doesn't always stay there**

**A/N:** This one sticks with what happened in the movie only I added some extra tidbits :)

* * *

Before Logan went under to have his bones laced with adamantium, he looked the files on his old teammates for clues thinking Victor was following a pattern but all seemed quite random. He learned that John Wraith lives in Las Vegas… so that is where he decided to make his next move. John Wraith was one of the very few members of their strike team that Logan got along with. Now he hoped that Wraith knew where to find this island that Zero had mentioned… maybe it would lead Logan to his brother… and his vengeance.

John owned a gym downtown a few blocks west of the strip. Logan pulls up into the parking lot and parks his newly acquired bike next to a street light. The morning sun shines down upon him as he walks to the door. Once inside, he looks about. There's a cute Asian girl working behind the counter blowing bubbles with her pink bubble gum. She smiles warmly at Logan after a bubble pops.

"Membership is ten dollars a month." She starts happily.

"I'm not here for that… I am looking for an old friend of mine though… John Wraith. He still owns this place, right?" Logan then says as he eyes the young woman.

"Yeah. He's in his office." She says and picks up the phone and presses a button. She chews her gum and leans against the counter as she waits for John to pick up. "What's your name?" She asks him while it's still ringing.

"Logan." He replies quickly as he looks about. He notices an old World War II poster with a photo of Captain America on it. He smirks at seeing it.

"Hey, Mr. Wraith there's a man named Logan here who wants to talk to you. Says he's an old friend." She says into the phone then pauses. Logan listens carefully.

"Logan?" He hears Wraith say in a somewhat surprised tone. "Tell him to come up to my office then, Sue."

"Sure thing, Boss man." The girl named Sue says and hangs up the phone.

"He says-"

"Office." Logan says as he walks off following the scent of Wraith's expensive cologne. He looks over and sees a few different men working out and two are in a boxing ring at the back of the gym sparring. He can smell them and knows they've been here awhile already. Logan makes his way up a flight of stairs and finds himself looking at a door with a window. The blinds are closed but they part at his approach and the door opens before he can knock.

"Well look what the cat dragged in." Wraith says with a bright smile crossing his dark face as he sees Logan. "How've you been, man?"

"Better." Logan says dryly as he forces a half smile. He looks at Wraith's cowboy themed get-up and gives him a smirk. "I see you've kept the look… maybe made it more flashy."

"You're still an ass. Come in and talk ta me." John says with a slight chuckle as he steps back and Logan follows him in. "I never expected to see you again after what happened back in Africa."

"Well things haven't been going so great for me here recently… apparently they haven't been going well for any of us on our old strike team. Bradley's dead and Wade is missing." Logan says as soon as the door is closed.

"Bradley? That kid couldn't hurt a fly." John says shocked to hear the news and he takes a seat behind his desk. "Do you think Wade did it? He was a mouthy one, quite funny too… but he enjoyed killin' almost as much as your brother."

"It wasn't Wade…" Logan starts with a serious tone and John gives him a look. "It was Victor… and that's not all… he came after me but he killed my girlfriend instead. I couldn't stop him." Logan then says as he clenches his fists then sighs.

"You sure it was Victor?" John then asks curiously.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Logan says as he walks over to another desk and sits on the corner.

"Damn." John swears and shakes his head. "I'm sorry to hear that, man."

"What the hell happened to him after I left?" Logan then asks curiously and there's a heated edge in his voice. John shakes head and sighs.

"He got worse for one." John then starts. "He felt like you abandoned him… hell, we all did." John says then huffs another sigh. "But Victor… he seemed to feel like he had to prove he was better than you." John says as he shrugs and shakes his head slightly. "Huntin' and killin' everything he was pointed at." A pause falls between the old comrades then and Logan stands to move to the large windows that look down at the gym floor below.

"Quit a few months later myself." John then says continuing the conversation and breaking the short silence. "Couldn't take rounding them up." He then adds solemnly as he pulls out a large bottle of Jack Daniels from one of his desk drawers and takes a swig. This catches Logan's attention and so he looks back at John with a raised brow.

"Rounding who up?" Logan asks curiously.

"Leave it alone." John warns as he gives Logan a pointed look and then takes another swig from his bottle. Logan turns fully away from the window at that.

"Rounding who up, John?" Logan asks with an edge in his tone. John just shakes his head and takes a third sip. Logan is starting to get angry now so he stalks over to John's desk. "Hey! Dammit, John! Tell me!" Logan shouts heatedly as he slams his fists on the edge of the desk causing the bottle and other items to rattle. John teleports out of his seat to stand on the desk's opposite side.

"We hunted our own kind, Logan!" John says and his voice nearly breaks as he rests his hands on the edge of the desk. He lowers his head and shakes it. "There's a special place in hell reserved for the things we did." John says solemnly and his shoulders shake. Logan stands up straight and frowns. He knows what it means to feel remorse for the horrors one has been forced to commit.

"Mutants? Why?" Logan then asks as he lets the moment pass. John stands up straight and takes a deep breath in.

"Stryker said we'd be making a difference, protecting people from the bad ones." John then says and shakes his head again. He then looks at Logan curiously. "How are you going to take Victor down, Logan?"

"Remember that stuff in Africa?" Logan asks.

"Yeah." John replies and a look of puzzlement crosses his face for a moment. "I remember Africa. What about it?" Logan says nothing. He simply lets his claws slide out and there is the sliding ring of metal on metal. John's eyes nearly bug out at the sight of Logan's metal claws as they glint in the light. "Damn!" He exclaims. "What'd they do to you, man?" John then asks.

"Don't ask." Logan says and a sorrowful look fills his eyes. He retracts his claws and moves away from the desk. "Listen… Zero said something about an island. Does that mean anything to you?" Logan then asks as he looks to John who frowns and shakes his head.

"Nope, but maybe Dukes knows." John says with a shrug of his shoulders. "Him and Zero were real tight."

"Fred Dukes? Where's he at?" Logan asks curiously.

"He's here in Vegas." John answers.

"Well, let's go talk to him." Logan says and starts for the door but John stops him.

"Hold on. He don't get in 'til around four then you can talk to him." John says. Logan huffs out an annoyed sigh. He has to wait.

* * *

A few hours pass and John and Logan went out for some lunch and caught up some. They return to the gym just after four and Logan is now very impatient about talking to Fred. John slows his friend down by holding his arm.

"But I gotta warn ya… he developed a bit of an eating disorder." John says keeping his voice low as his eyes dart to the boxing ring where a tall and very portly blonde man is struggling to slip past the ropes. "We all got our coping mechanisms. I'm trying to whip him back into shape. So whatever you do… don't mention his weight." John cautions. Logan looks at the ring perplexed by what he sees as the now very fat and lumbering Fred Dukes tries to swing at a smaller, faster opponent while just standing in place. Logan can smell him and now understands where the scent of grease and Little Debbie snacks is coming from.

"Come on, Fred, if you wanna get in shape… you gotta move, man!" John shouts at Fred. "I told him he's gotta move. He's gotta move!" He then comments to Logan but then his eyes widen. "What?" He says as Fred's opponent is knocked forcefully out of the ring towards the two men. John teleports away while Logan catches the guy and they are both knocked back into a sign. Logan takes the brunt of the blow and the fall. The other guy manages to get up and limp away while Logan sneers as he rolls over and shakes his head to clear it. John teleports next to Logan and crouches down to smirk at him.

"Seems you gotta learn to move too." John chuckles as he helps Logan find his feet. Logan is starting to get angry and he looks at the portly man in the ring.

"That's Fred Dukes? Looks more like the thing that ate Fred Dukes." Logan says with some heat.

"Hey… be nice, man." John says as they approach the ring.

"Hey, Fat… Fred!" Logan shouts to get Fred's attention. It works and Fred turns his head to look at Logan and John as they stand by the ropes. Logan smiles up at the large man and notices the tattoo on Fred's left upper arm. The skinny girl is now all stretched out and looks nearly as fat as Fred does. "I seem to remember when that girl was about eighty-five pounds, huh?" Logan jokes.

"Oh, that's funny. You're still just so funny, Logan." Fred says mockingly in his deep grumble as he forces a chuckle and stands jiggling in place.

"You know where Victor is?" Logan then asks pointedly… skipping the build up and going straight for what he wants.

"No idea." Fred says and gives Logan a knowing look. Logan's eyes narrow.

"What's the island, Slim?" Logan then says gruffly. Fred stops punching at a new opponent to turn to face Logan.

"Don't let the door hit ya on the way out." Fred says and he returns to his boxing routine now fully ignoring Logan.

"You listen to me…" Logan snaps as his anger gets the better of him. "I ain't leaving here 'til you tell me where Victor is." Logan then sighs as he reins it in and so adds on a softer note. "Come on, Bub… for old times sake, huh?" Fred stops as he freezes in his tracks… he turns to face Logan slowly.

"Did you just call me… Blob?" Fred asks and there's a dangerous edge to his tone. Logan looks confused as he shakes his head.

"No, but-" Logan starts but Fred rushes the ropes where Logan had climbed up and slams his excessively large body into Logan's thus knocking the smaller man from the ropes to skid upon the ground. John teleports next to Logan and shakes his head disapprovingly.

"I told you not to mention his weight. Why'd ya call him Blob?" John asks as Logan stands and pats his pants off.

"I didn't call him Blob." Logan groans heatedly. "I called him bub… god dammit." Logan says as he starts back for the ring with rage in his eyes but John stops him.

"Hey, hey, hey!" John says as he gets in Logan's way. "Logan, I've got an idea." John then says and walks over to the side of the ring and hands Logan a pair of boxing gloves.

"This is your idea?" Logan says as he gives John a skeptically look.

"I'm tryin' to help you out, Logan. Dukes don't like ya that much and you know it." John says as he helps Logan put the gloves on.

"Yeah… well, the feeling's mutual." Logan groans as he looks at fat Freddy from his corner with narrowed eyes.

"Well then… use them gloves, man." John says and mimics boxing punches. "Dance with him a little bit. Allow him to let his anger out on you." John then shrugs. "Figure if you do that, he'll probably tell you everything you wanna know."

"Come on, man… look at him." Logan says as he gestures to Fred over in his corner standing there, jiggling in place as his flabby belly hangs below the bottom of his gray 'Save the Whales' t-shirt. "He's gotta big old ass coming out the front of his shirt. Jesus… he's gonna have a coronary before we even finish round one for Christ's sake." Logan then looks at John. "Is there even a stretcher big enough to take this guy outta here?"

"It ain't him I'm worried about getting' outta here on a stretcher." John says with a bright grin as he chuckles at Logan.

"You're an asshole. You know that?" Logan then says as he groans and pushes off the rope. He shakes his head as he then makes his way over to Fred. He goes into boxing mode and starts throwing jabs and hooks at Fred's bulky frame. Each hit ripples through the fat but doesn't appear to be affecting Fred at all.

"Come on, Logan!" John shouts as he coaches from the ropes. "Whoop his ass!"

"You want a piece of this?" Fred then says as he smiles mockingly at Logan.

"Not really." Logan says as disgust crosses his face. Being up close and personal with Fred makes the stink of him stronger, so Logan hits harder to try and faze the larger man.

"Dance with him, Fred!" John then shouts at Fred from the sidelines. "Just like I taught you!"

"You wanna dance with me, Logan?" Fred then says as he starts to duck and weave but Logan's fists still make contact. Fred just chuckles at the slimmer fighter.

"Come on, Fred! Move some more!" John coaches.

"Oh… that feels good. Like getting' a massage." Fred says as he chuckles. "Hey! Guess what?" Fred then says as he stops in place and Logan hesitates for a split second… that's when Fred throws a right hook and catches Logan's jaw. The slimmer man is sent spinning to the side only to stop with his chest on the ropes. John hurries to him.

"See, he's gonna talk now. You got him right where you want him." John says with an enthusiastic grin as he pats Logan's shoulders once the man gets his bearings. Logan turns around and faces Fred once more.

"Whose side are you on anyways?" Logan asks as he throws John an offended look before he stands up straight and rolls his shoulders and head to limber up.

"Go get him!" John says to encourage Logan on. Logan feels his anger rising so he focuses it.

"Come on now, lamb chop!" Fred says as Logan rushes at him so the large man rushes at Logan from his side. They meet in the middle as Logan knocks his forehead against Fred's in a savage head-butt. Fred stubbles back dazed while Logan falls backwards. He quickly recovers and shakes his head then sees Fred swaying in place. Logan then runs to Fred's corner, climbs the post, and leaps from the top. He brings his fist down hard on the top of Fred's head and the huge guy drops like a sack of potatoes.

"Damn!" John says as he watches this scene unfold before him. Logan quickly climbs on top of Fred placing his knee into the thick gut and holds his right fist over the fat guy's face. The metal claws slide out through the padded boxing glove to point in Fred's round and swollen face.

"Feel like talkin' now… Where's Victor?" Logan asks with a touch of a snarl. Fred is still hazy from having his dome rung twice. Logan slaps his puffy cheek with his left hand as he keeps his right claws trained on Fred's face. "Hey! Focus Fred! Where's Victor?" Logan then says with a sneer. Fred's eyes refocus and he looks at Logan's shiny new claws with a mix of surprise and dread. John steps inside the ring.

"Yeah… Victor… he-he's with Stryker." Fred starts and Logan freezes. "On the island. They run it together."

"What?" Logan says confused. "They what?" He shakes his head in disbelief. He then refocuses and gives a dangerous look to Fred. "You're tellin' me that Victor… and Stryker… are working together?" Logan asks pointedly… murder glints in Logan's eyes. Fred pisses himself then as he eyes the claws come up under his double chins and barely touch his oily skin. He can feel the prick of the metal and he knows that these claws can overcome his very durable skin.

"Y-yeah! You-you didn't know that?" Fred quickly stammers out a reply and gives Logan a puzzled look.

"What's the island?" Logan asks and his claws dig in a little further… barely a millimeter. Fred whimpers and raises his head to move away but Logan keeps the pressure on.

"It's where Stryker takes them after Victor's caught them." Fred confesses.

"Takes who?" Logan asks and barely jiggles his right hand.

"M-Mutants! The rumor is that Stryker's doing all sorts of experiments on them there." He answers then looks to Wraith knowingly. "I mean, come on… you never wondered what he did with them?"

"I tried not to." John confesses as he sighs and looks away. Logan moves his claws away from Fred's chin and stands. He paces as he runs his left hand through his hair nervously.

"They killed her… so I'd let them lace my bones with adamantium." Logan mutters as he thinks back piecing everything together. "HE killed _her_ for a goddamned experiment!" Logan then shouts out in rage. Fred looks between John and Logan with fear in his eyes as he is still sprawled out on the matted floor of the ring. Logan then turns back to Fred and thrusts his fist at Fred's face… but stops an inch before Fred's tightly closed eyes. The fat guy whimpers and pisses himself again. "Where is this island at? Tell me!" Logan then asks angrily.

"L-Logan… you gotta understand… Stryker… he kept it real secret!" Fred whimpers out and starts to cry. Logan growls his frustrations as he tenses ready to strike. "But!" Fred shouts. "A prisoner did escape once!" Fred then confesses.

"Who? And so help me, god… you better tell me the truth or… I'll help you lose weight the quick way." Logan says viciously.

"H-his name was Remy LeBeau! Some street hustler from New Orleans!" Fred blurts out. "The guards… they all called him… Gambit… because he kept taking all their money at Poker. That's all I know! I swear!" Fred then says and he breaks down and cries.

"What's Stryker up to, Fred? What's his endgame?" John then asks coolly from the side. Fred opens his eyes since he's still alive and looks to John.

"He's taking their powers… trying to combine them all somehow. That's all I know, Logan. That's all I know. Please don't kill me." Fred then says and he squeezes his eyes shut once more.

"I'm not gonna kill ya… Blob… but if I have ta come back here… I'm gonna take that fat head of yours right off your fat shoulders." Logan then says heatedly and his claws retract. He stands straight up and struts out of the ring.

"Wait up!" John says and teleports from inside the ring to walk beside Logan. "I'm coming with ya, Logan."

"There's no redemption where I'm going." Logan says pointedly as he strolls through the gym and tosses his boxing gloves away.

"I ain't askin'." John says calmly and follows along. "Keep things going for me, Sweetheart." John says to Sue as they walk out. The two men each straddle their own bike and then ride off to the east… destination: New Orleans.


End file.
